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Spring  2006 


Volume  24,  No.  1 


Official  Newspaper  of  the  Glen  Park  Association 
www.glenparkassociation.com 


Published  Quarterly 


Search  for  Missing  Heir 
Focuses  on  Glen  Park 


The  unshrouded  Marketplace 


Photo  by  Michael  Waldstein 


Market  Myth  Buster 


Richard  and  Janet  Tarlov  know  what  it 
takes  to  build  a  market  from  the  ground 
up— but  they're  not  sure  the  rest  of  the 
world  does. 

The  mixed-use  project  that  will 
produce  a  new  neighborhood  branch 
library,  15  two-bedroom 
.  apartments  and  a  grocery 

Ashley  store  m  ^en  ^ar^ 
Hathaway  commerc'al  village  seems 
to  be  on  perm-a-hold.  But, 
say  those  involved,  it  is 
moving  forward. 

The  project  has  been  complex,  with 
three  distinct  uses,  the  involvement  of 
public  and  private  money,  a  change  in 
developers  mid-stream  and  many  other 
challenges. 

Many  residents,  including  the  Tar- 
lovs^the  husband  and  wife  team  that 
plans  to  own  and  operate  the  store  to 
be  called  Canyon  Market  — are  getting 
downright  fed  up  with  the  fact  that  Glen 
Park  is  still  devoid  of  a  full-service  gro- 
cery store.  Adding  to  this  widespread 
frustration  are  myriad  myths,  rumors 
and  questions  that  have  circulated  about 
the  planned  store  for  the  past  few  years: 
Will  it  be  a  Trader  Joe's?  An  Oakville 
Grocery?  Whole  Foods? 

The  space  allotted  for  the  market 
portion  of  the  development  could  never 
house  any  of  those  chain  specialty  food 
stores,  says  Richard  Tarlov,  a  veteran  of 


the  industry:  "There  are  restrictions  with 
parking  and  there  is  simply  not  enough 
space  for  such  a  place." 

But  there  is  space  for  what  the 
Tarlovs  are  dedicated  to  creating:  an 
urban  hybrid  market,  a  grocery  for  the 
neighborhood  that  caters  to  the  wants 
and  needs  of  local  customers.  It's  about 
the  convenience  of  getting  fresh  food 
for  that  night's  dinner,  right  near  home. 
"People  want  to  integrate  shopping  with 
their  daily  routine,"  Tarlov  says. 

Smaller,  neighborhood  markets 
provide  that  kind  of  convenience  for 
urban  living,  something  often  taken  for 
granted  by  European  city-dwellers.  But 
when  will  Glen  Park  residents  be  able  to 
take  advantage  of  such  a  convenience? 

A  History  Review 

The  Diamond  Super  market— the  last 
occupant  of  the  space  at  Diamond  and 
Wilder  streets— burned  down  in  1998. 
Efforts  to  develop  the  site  have  been 
under  way  ever  since. 

The  Tarlovs,  who  once  worked  for 

CONTINUED  ON  PAGE  14 


"Rhonda  Gaskew  Call  Paul." 

The  hand-written  flyers  began 
appearing  on  Glen  Park's  telephone 
poles  and  bulletin  boards 
.  in  early  February.  One  was 

gCQjj     posted  on  the  door  of  Glen 

Kirsner  ^ark  Hardware,  another  in 
Tina's  Laundromat,  one 
in  the  bookstore,  another 
near  the  library. 

Who  was  Rhonda,  and  why  was 
Paul  looking  for  her? 

For  a  good  reason,  it  turns  out.  Paul 
Kangas  is  a  private  investigator.  He  was 
looking  for  Rhonda,  who  is  presumed  to 
be  homeless,  because  she  just  inherited 
half  of  a  house  on  Surrey  Street. 

Rhonda  Gaskew,  he  explained,  is 
a  50-year  old  woman  whose  mother 
died  recently.  Rhonda  was  last  seen  in 
Glen  Park  a  year  or  two  ago,  perhaps  on 
Surrey  Street,  or  in  the  Higher  Grounds 
restaurant,  or  on  the  bench  outside  the 
Red  Rock  bar  waiting  for  a  bus. 

Her  mother,  Nevergate  Gaskew, 
lived  at  326  Surrey  in  a  mustard-colored, 
two-story  house.  (According  to  Bill 
Berry  of  Paragon  Real  Estate  Group,  the 
house  is  worth  about  $750,000.)  Half 
of  the  house  now  belongs  to  Rhonda 
Gaskew,  and  finding  the  daughter  is  up 
to  the  private  investigator. 

"That's  my  bread  and  butter,"  Kan- 
gas said.  "I  know  how  to  find  people 
living  on  the  streets." 

A  relative  gave  Kangas  several  pho- 
tos of  Rhonda,  and  by  showing  them  to 
Glen  Park  residents  and  business  owners 


Glen  Park  Association  Meeting  Notice 
Tuesday,  April  u,  2006,  7:30  p.m. 

St.  John's  School,  925  Chenery  St. 
Glen  Park  Merchants  Association  presentation 


he  was  able  to  collect  some  information. 
But  not  all  of  it  fit  together. 

"Everybody  has  told  me  a  different 
story  about  her,"  Kangas  said.  "She  once 
had  a  job  at  a  post  office  in  Minnesota. 
Her  hair  is  strangely  matted,  like  a  bird's 
nest.  She  may  have  been  last  seen  walk- 
ing down  Surrey  Street.  She  would  stand 
outside  her  mother's  house  and  look  at 
it,  or  crouch  down  behind  a  car.  But  I 
don't  think  she  was  in  contact  with  her 
mother." 

Higher  Grounds  owner  Manhal 
Jweinat  remembers  Rhonda  as  an  occa- 
sional customer,  and  said  he  last  saw  her 
about  a  year  ago.  The  police  sometimes 
talked  with  her,  he  added,  and  she  may 
have  been  hospitalized  at  one  point. 

The  attorney  handling  Nevergate 
Gaskew 's  estate,  Greer  M.  Smith,  said 
that  Rhonda  had  lived  in  Oakland  in 
2002.  It  was^mith  who  hired  Kangas 
to  conduct  the  search. 

Smith  explained  that  Nevergate 

CONTINUED  ON  PAGE  7 


Photo  courtesy  of  Paul  Kangas 


Glen  Park  News 


Page  2 


Spring  2006 


Letter  to  the  Editor 


Glen  Park  Association  News 


Dear  Glen  Park  News, 

I  am  writing  in  regards  to  the  Glen 
Park  Association's  news  article  writ- 
ten by  the  association's  President,  Mr. 
Michael  Rice,  and  published  in  the  Win- 
ter 2006  issue  of  the  Glen  Park  News. 

I  am  very  disappointed  that  Mr.  Rice 
failed  to  mention  a  single  member  of  the 
cosmetic  arts  industry  merchants  located 
in  Glen  Park,  an  industry  that  is  repre- 
sented by  not  only  myself,  my  business 
partner,  Christina  La  Moglia,  and  our 
dedicated  staff  at  The  Park  Salon,  but 
by  approximately  eight  other  prominent 
nail  and  salon  businesses  in  the  Glen 
Park  business  community. 

We  are  a  viable  and  thriving  part 
of  Glen  Park,  providing  many  quality 
goods  and  services  to  our  residents.  We 
at  The  Park  Salon  are  proud  to  serve 
these  outstanding  residents  of  the  neigh- 
borhood, some  of  which  are  officers  of 


Glen  Park  News 

2912  Diamond  St  #407 

San  Francisco,  CA  94131 

(415)  908-6728 

news@glenparkassociation.org 

Editor-in-Chief 

Elizabeth  Weise 

Deputy  Editor 

Rachel  Gordon 

Photo  Editor 

Liz  Mangelsdorf 

Design  Editor 

Mary  Mottola 

Copy  Editor 

Denis  Wade 

Advertising 

Nora  Dowley 

Reporters 

Angelina  Cantada 

Dorian  Eargle 

Caroline  Grannan 

Jeanne  Halpern 

Ashley  Hathaway 

Scott  Kirsner 

Miriam  Moss 

Jane  Radcliffe 

Emma  Bland  Smith 

Amy  Traverso 

Denis  Wade 

Bonnee  Waldstein 

Jesse  Walters 

Don  Williams 

Columnists 

Jean  Conner 

Sharon  Dezurick 

Bevan  Dufty 

Ric  Lopez 

Carol  Maerzke 

Michael  Rice 

Michael  Walsh 

Photographers 

Margo  Bors 

Phil  Limric 

Ellen  Rosenthal 

Michael  Waldstein 

the  GPA  board  and  supporting  members 
of  your  paper. 

We  also  attract  many  residents  of 
other  communities  in  San  Francisco, 
and  the  Bay  Area  to  Glen  Park.  - 

So,  let's  not  forget  before,  during, 
or  after  all  your  shopping  and  errands, 
you  also  deserve  a  manicure  or  pedicure 
complete  with  hand  and  foot  massage 
at  perhaps  Glen  Park  Nails  or  maybe  a 
fresh  new  look  for  the  current  season 
and  a  scalp  massage  from  one  of  Glen 
Park's  outstanding  hair  salons. 

Sincerely, 

Timothy  Edwards,  Owner 
The  Park  Salon 
669  Chenery  St. 

Dear  Mr.  Edwards, 

I  must  take  full  responsibility  for 
having  inadvertently  left  Glen  Park's 
cosmetic  arts  industry  merchants  out  of 
Michael  Rice's  column  in  the  last  issue 
of  the  Glen  Park  News.  After  he'd  sent 
in  his  column,  Michael  sent  me  another 
e-mail  asking  if  I  could  add  in  the  area 
salons.  But  in  the  rush  of  getting  the 
paper  out  before  Christmas  I  neglected 
to  go  back  and  add  them  in.  My  deepest 
apologies. 

Sincerely, 

Elizabeth  Weise 

Editor,  Glen  Park  News 


The  neighborhood  felt  a  collective  sigh 
of  relief— and  pleasure  — in  February 
as  the  tattered  white 
ky         plastic  came  off  the 
Michael     MarketPlace  building. 
Rice       ^e  krick  walls  and 
tall  windows  convey 
the  permanence  and 
welcome  of  our  new  library.  There  is 
a  hint  of  street  life  to  come  from  the 
market.  The  apartment  balconies  are 
ready  for  the  new  residents  to  look  out 
over  the  neighborhood. 

Another  big  step  in  2006  will  be 
progress  on  the  "Glen  Park  Commu- 
nity Plan."  As  most  of  us  know,  the 
neighborhood  worked  closely  with  the 
Planning  Department  in  2003  to  draft 
this  guide  to  future  development  in  Glen 
Park.  Literally  dozens  of  Glen  Park  folk 
gathered  at  workshops  and  identified 
goals,  problems  and  strategies  to  guide 
development  and  enhance  our  commu- 
nity character. 

Land-use  recommendations  for 
Glen  Park's  commercial  core  focus  on 
the  potential  redevelopment  of  property 
on  the  northwest  corner  of  Diamond  and 
Bos  worth  streets.  The  plan  recommends 
careful  mixed-use  development  of  up 
to  about  48  housing  units,  with  parking 
and  ground-floor  retail  on  those  sites, 
divided  by  the  narrow  Kern  Alley.  The 
plan  also  reviewed  potential  residential 


The  mission  of  the  Glen  Park  Association  is  to  promote  the  collective 
interests  of  all  persons  living  in  Glen  Park,  to  inform  and  educate  about 
neighborhood  and  citywide  issues,  to  promote  sociability  and  friend- 
ships and  to  support  beneficial  neighborhood  projects. 

GPA  Board  of  Directors  and  Officers  for  2006 


President 


Vice-President 


Treasurer 

Recording  Secretary 
Corresponding  Secretary 
Membership  Secretary 

Health  &  Environment 
Neighborhood  Improvement 
Glen  Park  News 

Public  Safety 
Recreation  &  Park 
Traffic,  Parking  &  Transportation 
Zoning  &  Planning 

Program 


Michael  Rice  337-9894 
president@glenparkassociation.org 
JeffBritt  908-6728 
vicepresident@glenparkassociation.org 
Dennis  Mullen  239-8337 
Kim  Watts  902-4767 
Tiffany  Farr  215-2320 
Heather  World 
membership@glenparkassociation.org 
Volunteer  needed 

John  Walmsley  452-0277 
Elizabeth  Weise  908-6728 
news@glenparkassociation.org 
Volunteer  needed 

Richard  Craib  648-0862 
Armando  Fox  fox@alum.mit.edu 
D.  Valentine 

dk_valentine@yahoo.com 
Volunteer  needed 


development,  up  to  about  48  units,  on 
the  BART  parking  lot  north  of  Bos- 
worth  Street.  The  draft  plan  would 
improve  vehicle  circulation  and  inter- 
section conditions  within  Glen  Park 
and  balance  short-term  and  long-term 
parking  supply  and  controls.  It  would 
include  a  major  reconfiguration  of  San 
Jose  Avenue;  other  traffic-calming, 
pedestrian  and  bicycle  improvements; 
and  changes  at  the  BART  station  to 
improve  the  interface  between  Muni 
and  BART  services. 

.Clearly,  some  of  the  goals  are  long- 
term;  rebuilding  San  Jose  Avenue  as  an 
at-grade  boulevard  will  be  expensive  but 
exciting  to  contemplate.  Yet,  other  cities 
have  been  learning  from  San  Francisco 
about  demolishing  freeways,  the  results 
seen  clearly  along  the  Embarcadero  and 
Octavia  Boulevard.  It  is  not  farfetched 
to  foresee  the  concrete  coming  down  in 
our  part  of  town. 

As  a  practical  matter,  to  move  ahead 
with  the  plan,  the  City  must  complete 
the  Environmental  Impact  Report 
(EIR)  to  identify  potential  effects  of 
the  changes,  as  well  as  potential  mitiga- 
tion measures  to  address  any  problems. 
The  neighborhood  will  have  a  chance  to 
participate  in  this  very  public  process 
in  the  next  few  months,  to  refresh  our 
knowledge  of  the  plan's  details  and 
comment  about  any  concerns.  Keep  in 
mind  that  the  EIR  is  a  necessary  public 
information  step,  but  "certification"  of 
the  EIR  is  not  adoption  of  the  plan  itself. 
Let's  focus  this  year  on  refinement  and 
merits  of  the  plan. 

Michael  Rice  is  president  of  the  Glen 
Park  Association. 


Volunteers 
Needed 

As  you  can  see  from  the  box  to  the 
left,  the  Glen  Park  Association  has 
three  openings  for  officers.  Get 
involved  in  your  neighborhood! 


Glen  Park  News 

The  Glen  Park  News  is  pub- 
lished quarterly  by  the  Glen  Park 
Association.  Signed  articles  are 
the  opinions  of  the  authors  and  not 
necessarily  those  of  the  Glen  Park 
Association.  To  advertise  in  the  Glen 
Park  News  call  908-6728  or  e-mail  a 
dvertising@glenparkassociation.org. 


Spring  2006 


Page  3 


Glen  Park  News 


Is  Glen  Park  Prepared  to 
Cope  with  a  Disaster? 


Would  you  rather: 

1 .  Pack  a  hope  chest,  or  an  earthquake 
kit? 

2.  Agonize  over  that  perfect  shade  of 
butternut  for  your  crown  molding,  or 
shear-wall  your  basement? 

3.  Install  a  granite  countertop.  or  strap 
down  your  water  heater? 

4.  Take  up  Pilates,  or  inspect  your  utility 
shut-offs? 

After  taking  a  free  course  offered 
by  the  San  Francisco  Fire 
by       Department,  I  feel  equally 
Bonnee    committed  to  all  of  the 
Waldstein  above  activities,  and  have 
made  the  time  to  do  them 
all  (sort  of). 
The  program  is  called  NERT— 
Neighborhood  Emergency  Response 
Team.  It  teaches  city  residents  to  be 
self-sufficient  following  a  disaster,  how 
to  provide  emergency  assistance  to  their 
family  and  immediate  neighbors;  and 
how  to  work  as  a  team  member  in  their 
neighborhood  or  as  an  adjunct  to  City  ser- 
vices in  the  event  of  a  major  disaster. 

The  NERT  training  program  was 
begun  as  a  response  to  the  Loma  Prieta 
earthquake  and  its  aftermath  in  1989. 
Civilian  volunteers  assisted  the  fire 


department  in  the  labor-intensive  activi- 
ties surrounding  the  Marina  fires;  the 
department  realized  that  civilian  training 
is  essential  in  coping  with  large-scale 
disasters.  Their  goal  is  to  train  city  resi- 
dents in  a  number  of  basic  skills. 

The  devastating  hurricanes  last  year 
made  many  people  realize  that  fending 
for  themselves  in  a  disaster  will  be  a 
reality  and  a  necessity.  Moreover,  the 
scenes  of  human  desperation  have 
convinced  many  that  they  must  be 
capable  of  helping  their  neighbors  as 
well.  Recent  NERT  classes  have  been 
filled  to  capacity  due  to  this  increased 
awareness.  Here  in  San  Francisco, 
our  Office  of  Emergency  Services 
(www.72hours.org)  now  recommends 
that  residents  have  the  resources  for 
self-sufficiency  for  five  days,  rather 
than  three  days. 

Taking  this  course  has  been  a  great 
experience.  I  think  many  people  feel  that 
if  faced  with  an  emergency  situation, 
and  without  much  practical  knowledge, 
some  instant  judgment  and  lightning 
reflex  would  kick  in.  That's  what  I 
thought,  when  I  gave  it  any  thought.  The 
NERT  training  puts  you  through  hands- 
on  exercises  that  quickly  dispel  that 


we  design 
your  perfect  outdoor  space 

tailored  to  your  lifestyle  & 
the  spirit  of  your  home 


LIQU1DAMBAR 

d  A  It  0  E  N      I)  i    >  i  i.  n 


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iivx  ol MMflMi laraJv*o?  iBORB  (MbBAlMflUfl  TyrracttwtMo: 


notion.  The  course  runs  20  hours  over 
six  weeknights  or  three  Saturdays,  and 
covers  such  topics  as  light  search  and 
rescue,  disaster  medicine,  earthquake, 
fire,  hazardous  materials,  utilities  and 
team  organization.  You  will  also  find  out 
how  to  easily  get  a  HAM  radio  license. 
If  you  must  miss  a  class,  you  can  make 
it  up  at  another  time  and  site. 

The  time  flies  by  as  trainers  from 
the  fire  department  present  the  mate- 
rial and  participants  break  into  groups 
to  practice  various  skills.  The  classes 
are  fun  and  you  meet  wonderful  people 
from  your  neighborhood  and  the  rest 
of  the  city.  You  can  find  out  every- 
thing about  NERT  on  their  Web  site, 
www.sfgov.org/sffdnert. 


Beth  KershaW  •  Broker  Associate 
415.920.8215-www.BethKershaw.com 


Rescheduled  Glen  Park 
Festival  Seeks  Volunteers 


This  year's  Glen  Park  Festival  will  take 
place  in  September— a  departure  from 
recent  years,  when  the  festival  was  held 
in  April. 

"We're  going  back  to  our  roots  as  a 
fall  festival,"  said  event  Treasurer  Vince 
Beaudet,  who's  been  helping  organize 
the  festival  for  the  past  10  years.  The 


agenda  for  this  year's  event  includes 
arts  and  crafts,  music  performances, 
food  and  children's  activities. 

The  festival  is  seeking  organizing 
committee  members,  a  festival  president 
and  other  volunteers.  To  get  involved, 
call  835-2 1 1 8  or  visit  the  festival's  Web 
site  at  www.glenparkfestival.com. 


KIKIYO 


personal  training 
and  yoga  studio 

website  kiki-yo.com 

p/.0ne(415)587-5454 

605  B  Chenery  Street 
in  the  Glen  Park  Village,  SF 


Judith  Presley 
(415)  731-501  l^ext.  107 


2 1 5  West  Portal  Avenue 
San  Francisco,  CA  94127 


The  best  realtor  is  committed  to 
two  things;  people  and  real  estate. 


Judith  Presley,  CRS  || 

Broker  Associate, 

Certified  Residential  Specialist 

•  Specializing  in  Glen  Park 
and  The  Surrounding 
Neighborhoods  Since  1986 

•  Glen  Park  Resident  Sinci  1985 

•  Glen  Park  Festival  Chair  1999 

•  Member  of  the 

Glen  Park  Association 


Iyengar   Ashtanga  *  Personal  Training   Pilates  Mat  • 
Morning  Si  Evening  Classes   Friendly  Teachers 


Join  the  many  appreciative  clients  who 
continue  to  recommend  Judith  to  their  friends 


Glen  Park  News 


Page  4 


Spring  2006 


Lucy  B.  Stephenson 

Certified    Public    Acc  o  u  n  t  a  n  t 

(415)  586*5600 

FAX  (415)  586*2152 

Individuals  •  Corporations  •  Partnerships 

964  Chenery  Street,  San  Francisco,  CA  94131 

By  appointment  only 


GLEN  PARK  DENTAL 

Beautiful  Smiles  for  Life 


FAMILY  DENTISTRY  ■  SEDATION  DENTISTRY  i  SMILE  MAKEOVERS 
i  INVISALICN  !  ZOOM!  WHITENING  i  PERIODONTAL  THERAPY  i 
VENEERS  i  CEREC  ONE  VISIT  RESTORATIONS  i  and  much  more. 


Our  New  Office  is  at  590  Bosworth  Street 


Call  (415)585-1500  or  Visit  Our  New  Website  glenparkdental.com 


Notes  From  District  Eight 


by 

Supervisor 
Bevan 
Dufty 


I  have  been  impressed  and  encouraged 
by  the  infusion  of  new  leadership  at  the 
Recreation  and  Park 
Department  by  new 
General  Manager 
Yomi  Agunbiade.  He 
brought  Dennis  Kern 
into  the  new  position 
of  director  of  opera- 
tions and  Scott  Reese  as  supervisor  of 
neighborhood  parks.  Kern  and  Reese 
have  been  working  hard  to  implement 
much-needed  new  management  prac- 
tices to  invigorate  and  develop  Rec  and 
Park  staff. 

In  that  regard,  they  determined  that 
it  would  be  useful  to  rotate  department 
staff  on  a  more  consistent  and  regular 
basis.  Many  Glen  Park  neighbors  con- 
tacted me  to  express  concern  that,  after 
almost  40  years  at  Glen  Canyon  Park, 
recreation  director  Jadin  Low  was  put 
on  the  transfer  list  and  set  to  be  moved 
to  Upper  Noe  Recreation  Center,  which 
is  slated  to  close  for  renovation  at  the 
end  of  the  year. 

One  of  your  neighbors,  a  lifelong 
Glen  Park  resident,  spoke  of  Low's 
vibrant  and  energetic  personality  that 
has  earned  her  the  respect  and  trust 
of  generations  of  neighborhood  kids 
and  adults.  I  thought  the  concerns 
were  valid,  especially  in  light  of 
the  fact  that  Low  plans  to  retire  at 
the  end  of  the  summer.  I'm  pleased 
to  report  that  she  will  complete  her 
career  with  the  City  at  Glen  Park. 

With  that  good  news,  and  the 
heartfelt  praise  for  Low  that  I've 
received,  I've  decided  to  organize 
a  Glen  Park  celebration  in  her  honor 
this  September.  I'D  get  word  out  on 
the  details  as  the  event  nears. 

I  also  want  to  acknowledge  that 
many  people  also  contacted  me  to 
praise  recreation  director  Keith 
Burroughs.  He  is  being  transferred 


GLEN 
PARK 

HARDWARE 


OPEN  6  0AYS 

Plumbing  •  Electric  •  Glass 

Pipe  Threading  •  Keys 
Home  &  Garden  Supplies 
Spectra  Tone  Paints 
Mon.  to  Sat.  until  5:30  p.m. 


415-585-5761 

685  CHENERY  at  DIAMOND 


to  Hamilton  Recreation  Center  and 
I  am  supportive  of  the  administra- 
tion's objectives. 

If  you  want  to  learn  more  about 
the  new  Recreation  and  Park  Depart- 
ment team.  Kern  can  be  reached  by 
e-mail  at  Dennis.Kern@sfgov.org, 
or  by  calling  831-2709.  Reese's  e- 
mail  is  Scott.Reese@sfgov.org  and 
his  phone  number  is  83 1  -2744. 

On  a  related  note,  the  Glen  Park 
Advisory  Board  has  been  working  for 
the  past  six  years  on  projects  to  improve 
the  recreation  experience  through  the 
addition  of  picnic  tables,  attractive  mes- 
sage kiosks,  flower  planters,  murals  and 
other  improvements.  Recently  the  Advi- 
sory Board  and  the  Recreation  and  Park 
Department  sought  my  help  to  secure  an 
attractive  wrought-iron  decorative  rail- 
ing to  define  the  boundary  of  the  plaza 
area  near  the  playground.  I  am  pleased 
that  with  the  help  of  the  City  's  Depart- 
ment of  Children,  Youth  and  Their 
Families,  we  have  secured  the  needed 
funding  and  are  moving  forward.  Kudos 
to  the  Glen  Park  Advisory  Board. 

Elsewhere  in  this  issue  you  can 
read  about  the  progress  with  the  new 
Glen  Park  branch  library  and  the 
Canyon  Market  under  construction 
on  Diamond  Street.  I  want  to  take 
a  moment  to  thank  Chris  Foley  and 
developer  Kieran  Buckley  for  their 
labor  of  love  to  ensure  that  Richard 
Tarlov  succeeds  with  an  outstanding 
neighborhood  supermarket.  At  a  time 
of  great  uncertainty  over  the  future  of 
Cala  and  Bell  Markets  citywide.  I  am  so 
grateful  that  by  the  end  of  this  year  we 
will  finally  have  a  neighborhood-based 
supermarket  that  should  be  the  envy  of 
most  other  neighborhoods. 

District  8  Supervisor  Bevan  Duftx  is 
Glen  Park 's  representative  on  the  Board 
of  Supervisors.  He  can  be  reached  at 
554-6968  or  Bevan.Dufty@sfgov.org. 


CRITTER  FRITTERS 

PET  FOODS  AND  SUPPLIES 


239-7367 

670  CHENERy  ST.  (Off1  DIAMOND! 
NEW  SELF-SERVICE  DOG  WASH 
NOW  OPEN 


Spring  2006 


Page  5 


Glen  Park  News 


Notes  From  the  GPA  Meeting 
and  the  Clean  &  Green  Summit 


Photo  courtesy  of  the  Choisser  family 


Steve  Choisser  Remembered 


The  following  items  were  highlights  of 
the  January  quarterly  GPA  meeting. 

Graffiti:  Martin  Forrest.  Chenery 
Street  resident,  has  taken  the  job  of 
working  against  the  continuing  and 
growing  epidemic  of  graf- 
by       fiti  in  Glen  Park.  He  has 
Bonnee   organized  a  Neighbor- 
Waldstein  hood  Graffiti  Watch 
Group  and  you  will  see 
them  on  a  regular  basis  in  their  bright 
yellow  vests,  painting  and  scrubbing 
out  graffiti  on  public  property.  Mer- 
chants and  residents  need  to  deal  with 
graffiti  immediately  on  their  property  in 
order  to  discourage  the  vandals.  Martin 
is  also  keeping  in  touch  with  Rec  and 
Park  to  post  hours  in  the  park;  and  with 
the  SFPD  to  increase  patrols  and  con- 
sider installing  surveillance  cameras. 
To  join  the  group,  e-mail  Martin  at 
martin  JbrrestCk'sbcglobal. net. 

Street  Trees:  Friends  of  the  Urban 
Forest's  Walter  Crump  noted  the  25th 
anniversary  of  the  organization,  which 
is  dedicated  to  planting  and  maintain- 
ing San  Francisco's  trees.  They  are 
participating  in  the  "Neighborhood 
Greenways  Plan"  to  plant  5,000  trees 
a  year  for  the  next  five  years.  FUF 
subsidizes  the  cost  of  planting,  which 
runs  $1 50-$300  depending  on  the 
neighborhood.  They  deal  with  finding 
the  location,  cutting  the  hole,  concrete 
removal  and  planting.  They  train  resi- 
dents in  maintenance  and  care.  Then 
they  visit  the  site  at  two  months  and  18 
months.  Trees  on  certain  streets,  such 
as  Chenery  and  Diamond,  were  planted 
by  the  City  and  are  the  responsibility  of 
the  Department  of  Public  Works.  (Their 
part  of  the  sfgov.org  Web  site  enumer- 
ates the  locations  of  all  the  trees  the 
City  is  responsible  for.) 

Traffic  Calming:  Transportation 
Planner  Dan  Provence  displayed  his 
proposed  creative  solution  to  speed- 
ers and  other  reckless  drivers  along 
O'Shaughnessy  Blvd.  It  uses  a  gateway 
'treatment  that  reproduces  two  gateway 
arches  that  were  in  place  in  1923  at  the 
"pinch  point"  near  Malta.  At  this  spot 
the  lanes  narrow  from  15  to  12  feet 
The  archways  are  supposed  to  remind 
drivers  they  are  entering  a  residential 
neighborhood  and  encourage  them  to 
slow  down.  Six-foot-wide  medians  with 
trees  are  also  being  proposed.  The  fire 
department  would  need  to  approve  the 
plan,  as  would  other  City  departments. 
There  are  dedicated  funds  for  traffic 
calming  but  the  cost  of  this  project 
would  require  additional  money  from 


grants,  so  getting  it  under  way  would 
take  at  least  two  years. 

Parking:  The  GPA  Transportation 
Committee  presented  options  for  new 
parking  controls  for  unregulated  spaces 
on  Bosworth  Street.  Of  the  60  spots 
between  Diamond  and  Elk  streets,  40 
percent  are  taken  by  cars  registered  in 
the  94131  ZIP  code.  The  rest  are  from 
commuters  outside  the  neighborhood 
and  San  Francisco  who  presumably 
park  there  to  take  BART  to  work.  The 
favored  alternative  for  creating  parking 
space  turnover  now  is  two-hour  meter- 
ing on  the  north  side  of  Bosworth  from 
Diamond  to  Brompton  or  Chilton.  The 
rest  of  the  spaces  would  remain  unregu- 
lated for  the  time  being.  Residents  also 
requested  that  DPT  and  BART  be  asked 
for  better  enforcement  of  the  two-  and 
five-  hour  parking  meters  and  regula- 
tions. 

Glen  Park  Festival:  This  year 
would  have  been  the  tenth  for  the  Glen 
Park  Festival,  but  it  might  not  happen. 
Dan  Gustavson,  organizer  for  many 
years,  is  stepping  down  and  no  one  has 
volunteered  to  take  on  the  task.  The 
festival  could  take  place  in  the  fall  if 
someone  steps  forward  to  take  the  reins. 
[Editor 's  note:  Please  see  the  story  on 
Page  3.  Vtnce  Beaudet  and  others  are 
working  to  make  sure  our  popular  Vil- 
lage street  fair  doesn 't  die,  but  they  need 
your  help!] 

Gas  Pipeline  Replacement  Pro- 
gram: Perhaps  you've  noticed  PG&E 
spending  a  lot  of  time  in  our  neighbor- 
hood recently,  and  wondered  why  the 
streets  were  being  torn  up  block  by 
block.  It's  part  of  a  program  to  replace 
the  gas  lines  in  several  neighborhoods 
with  modern  piping  that  is  resistant 
to  corrosion  and  earth  movement.  In 
San  Francisco,  this  will  amount  to  270 
miles  replaced  by  2009.  Included  in  the 
project  is  retrofitting  the  gas  valves  at 
your  meter  with  polypropylene  tubes, 
which  will  increase  the  pressure  from 
low  to  high.  The  result  will  be  easier 
shut-off/-on  from  your  house  or  street, 
which  will  enable  efficient  response  by 
residents  to  an  emergency  (and  the  end 
of  the  emergency).  Some  gas  meters 
may  have  to  be  relocated.  PG&E  proj- 
ect foreman  Dave  Brown  says  they're 
almost  halfway  through  the  7,400  feet 
of  pipeline  replacement  in  Glen  Park. 
The  job  is  scheduled  to  be  completed 
at  the  end  of  June. 

Clean  and  Green  Summit,  Feb.15: 

This  event,  presented  by  Mayor  New- 


Longtime  Glen  Park  resident  and  book 
lover  Steve  Choisser  died  Oct.  30  of 
complications  due  to  diabetes.  Choisser 
[Schwa-zay]  lived  on  Sussex  Street  for 
almost  25  years.  In  the  past  few  years 
he  worked  at  Bird  &  Beckett  Books 
and  Records.  But  his  history  with 
bookstores  and  the  neighborhood  goes 
much  further  back. 

"Steve's  dream  was  to  own  a  book- 
store," his  former  wife,  Brynn  Jensen, 
said.  He  realized  that  dream  with  the 
opening  of  Glen  Park  Books,  which 
was  in  business  in  the  mid-1980s  in 
the  space  now  occupied  by  the  cloth- 
ing store  Paragraph. 

Despite  Herculean  efforts,  the  store 
wasn't  profitable.  "It  took  him  years  to 
get  over  losing  that  store,"  Jensen  said. 
Later,  he  was  co-owner  of  the  Pietown 
Book  Co.  on  Piedmont  Avenue  in  Oak- 
land. 


som  and  funded  by  PG&E,  NorCal 
Waste,  Clean  City  Coalition  and  the 
Emerald  Fund  and  the  City,  brought 
together  City  agencies,  professionals, 
volunteers  and  citizens  to  brainstorm 
solutions  to  the  trashing  of  the  city  with 
graffiti  and  litter,  and  the  overall  dete- 
rioration of  the  urban  landscape.  There 
were  six  morning  and  six  afternoon 
workshops;  attendees  could  choose  to 
attend  only  one  of  each. 

Some  topics  included  Permeable 
landscaping  and  street  parks,  growing 
greener  school  grounds,  enforcing  qual- 
ity-of-life  laws,  community  challenge 
grants  and  moving  toward  zero  waste 
by  2020.  In  "What  is  Greening?"  we 
learned  that  we  now  have  a  "Director 
of  Greening,"  Marshall  Foster,  in  the 


Choisser  loved  American  literature. 
He  also  was  a  big  fan  of  music,  espe- 
cially bluegrass  and  old-time  music. 

"He  read.  This  is  what  he  did.  He 
loved  books,  he  loved  books  as  objects, 
he  was  a  collector  of  books  and  he  was 
brilliant.  He  was  a  literary  person,  very 
intellectual,  very  private,  a  great  sense 
of  humor,"  Jensen  said. 

Born  1947  in  Benton,  III.,  Steve  was 
an  English  language  scholar,  earning  a 
master's  degree  from  the  University  of 
New  Mexico  and  a  bachelor's  degree 
from  the  University  of  Illinois.  He 
moved  to  San  Francisco  in  1980. 

Steve  is  survived  by  his  brother, 
David  Choisser  of  Dallas  and  his  son, 
Nathanael  Choisser,  19,  who  also  works 
at  Bird  &  Beckett.  A  memorial  for  fam- 
ily members  and  friends  will  be  held  at 
Bird  &  Beckett.  2788  Diamond  St.,  on 
March  19.  from  4.30-6  p.m. 


Rec  and  Park  Department.  At  the  end  of 
the  day  there  was  a  general  wrap-up  in 
which  several  ideas  from  each  session 
were  announced.  Those  will  become  the 
basis  for  Mayor  Newsom's  clean  and 
green  goals  for  the  next  one-to-five 
years. 

Meeting  our  City  officials  up  close 
and  realizing  that  they  see  what  we  see 
in  the  city,  that  they  "get  it,"  was  grati- 
fying. Realizing  also  that  our  mutual 
vision  cannot  be  achieved  within  the 
City's  budget  was  disappointing,  though 
not  surprising. 


Bonnee  Waldstein  has  lived  with  her 
family  in  Glen  Park  for  more  than  20 
years. 


Glen  Park  News 


Page  6 


Spring  2006 


Chenery  Street  Welcomes  an 
Eco-Friendly  Baby  Store 


Catch  52 

It's  9:45  in  the  evening.  My  digital 
printing  class  in  downtown  San  Fran- 
cisco just  ended.  I  resist 
by        the  urge  to  approach  the 
Angelina    instructor  and  clarify  a 
Cantada    few  points  about  render- 
ing intent  and  black  point 
compensation.  I  have  no 
time  to  spare. . .  must  head  for  the  BART 
station. 

I  make  it  to  the  Montgomery  BART 
a  few  minutes  before  10.  The  sign  sig- 
naling the  arrival  of  the  9-car  SFO/ 
Millbrae  train  gives  me  much  hope.  I 
hop  on  my  favorite  car— the  middle  one, 
whose  doors  will  open  at  my  destination 
right  in  front  of  the  exit  escalator. 

I  get  to  the  Glen  Park  BART  station 
at  10:13  p.m.  1  visualize  my  carriage  as  I 
anxiously  wait  for  the  car  doors  to  open. 
With  pass  in  hand,  I  take  a  big  leap  out 
of  the  train,  briskly  walk  up  the  escala- 
tor, swipe  the  pass  and  emerge  from 
the  station.  Across  the  street,  where  my 
carriage  normally  stops,  it  is  empty  and 
deserted.  Only  a  wooden  bench  and  the 
chilly  night  air  are  there  to  greet  me.  It 
means  only  one  thing:  I  have  missed  the 
52— the  52  Muni  bus,  that  is. 

I've  had  a  love-hate  relationship 
with  the  52  since  I  moved  into  this 
neighborhood  a  year  and  a  half  ago.  I 
love  the  52  because  it  takes  me  either 
to  the  BART  station  or  the  Forest  Hill 
underground  Muni  stop— both  link  me 
to  anywhere  I  need  to  be  in  the  city, 
without  having  to  worry  about  parking. 
But  for  some  reason,  it's  never  there 
when  I  need  it.  At  times,  when  I'm 
out  walking  my  dog,  I  see  two  52s  in 
a  row.  Other  times,  when  I  desperately 
need  a  ride,  I  have  to  wait  30  minutes 
or  more. 

A  few  months  ago,  catching  the  52 
became  even  more  challenging  when 


the  number  of  trips  was  significantly 
decreased.  The  52  now  comes  only 
every  half  hour  except  on  weekday  rush 
hours  (7-9  a.m.  and  4-7  p.m.),  when  it 
comes  every  20  minutes.  Muni  had  to 
make  budget  cuts,  and  the  relatively  low 
number  of  off-peak  52  bus  riders  does 
not  justify  a  high-frequency  schedule. 

If  you've  ever  waited  for  the  52  at 
the  corner  of  Bosworth  and  Diamond, 
you  know  there  are  at  least  two  44s  for 
every  one  52.  This  frustrating  scenario 
has  led  me  on  several  occasions  to  climb 
the  evil  hills  up  to  Diamond  Heights. 
Stopping  at  every  corner  to  catch  my 
breath,  I  check  back  to  see  if  the  52 
is  behind  me.  Finding  only  an  empty 
street,  I  trek  along.  Thirty  minutes  later 
and  about  five  pounds  lighter,  I'm  home 
with  still  no  52  in  sight. 

Waiting  for  the  elusive  Muni  bus 
is  not  uncommon.  Kathryn  Wagner,  a 
native  San  Franciscan,  became  a  full- 
time  Muni  rider  in  2002  after  donating 
her  car  to  charity.  She  says  she  enjoys 
taking  the  bus.  It's  missing  the  bus  that 
she  has  problems  with:  "I  was  back  on 
Muni  for  the  earth,  the  budget,  the  exer- 
cise and  the  slower  pace,"  she  says.  On 
a  good  Muni  day,  it  takes  Kathryn  45 
minutes  to  get  to  work.  She  takes  the 
24  on  Castro  and  transfers  to  the  67  up 
Bernal  Heights.  Some  days  though,  her 
morning  commute  lasts  an  hour  and  a 
half.  "There  are  days  I  really  would  like 
to  have  a  car  for  the  time  added  back  to 
my  days,  but  when  I  weigh  it  all  out  life 
without  a  car  makes  more  sense.  With 
all  the  rushing  and  speed  with  which  we 
live  our  lives,  I  don't  mind  waiting  for 
the  bus  or  streetcar." 

The  other  thing  that  keeps  Kathryn 
in  the  Muni  system  is  the  experience 
of  "touching."  As  a  single  woman,  she 
says  she  doesn't  often  get  "touched"  by 


Kortney  Eichenberger  wants  her  Chen- 
ery Street  "nearly  new"  baby  clothes 
store,  Bug,  to  be  a  business  with  a 
conscience. 

"Supporting  these  giant  places  like 
Target  is  not  helping  the  world  any," 
says  Eichenberger,  a  Ber- 
by  nal  Heights  resident  with 
Emma     a  two-year-old  daughter. 

Bland     Zoe.  "I  really  believe  in 

Smith  the  recycling  and  passing 
on  of  things." 

Bug  will  follow  in  the  footsteps  of 
other  "gently  used"  children's  clothing 
stores  such  as  Chloe's  Closet  in  Bernal 
Heights,  Peek-a-Boutique  in  Noe  Valley 
and  Miranda's  Mama  in  the  Richmond 
District— but  with  some  changes. 

"I  want  the  feeling  to  be  that  of 
an  upscale  boutique,"  Eichenberger 
says,  but  with  prices  real  families  can 
afford.  As  at  her  sister  stores,  she  will 
buy  used  clothing  in  good  condition  for 
40  percent  in  cash  of  what  she  hopes 
to  sell  them  for,  or  50  percent  in  store 
credit.  She  also  plans  to  display  a  hand- 


people  unless  she's  in  church,  with  fam- 
ily or  friends.  Many  times  you  can't  help 
but  touch  another  human  being  inside 
a  crowded  Muni  bus.  And  when  some- 
one steps  in  sweating  or  hasn't  bathed 
since  baptism,  then  touching  becomes 
a  unique  experience.  "The  three-foot- 
give-me-my-space  rule  goes  out  the 
window  and  we  settle  in  together  and 
touch  and  everyone  is  very  brave  about 
it,  sometimes  wonderful  about  it,  even. 
It's  as  good  an  experience  as  the  slow- 
ness of  the  system,"  says  Kathryn. 

"Muni  stands  for  Must  Understand 
Nothing  Is  perfect.  Once  that's  under- 
stood," Kathryn  points  out,  "then  you 
can  laugh  at  one  driver  who  'guaran- 
teed same  day  delivery'  or  another  who 
insists  on  using  the  destination  sign 
'Nowhere  in  Particular'  on  the  front  of 
his  car." 

A  complete  Muni  route  guide  is 
available  online  at  www.sfmuni.com. 
If  anything,  it's  a  good  starting  point 
for  estimating  when  you  might  expect 
your  next  ride.  As  for  Glen  Park  bus 
riders,  good  luck  catching  the  52. 


Angelina  Cantada  lives  in  Diamond 
Heights.  A  photographer  and  video 
producer,  she  is  pursuing  her  second 
BFA  degree  at  the  Academy  of  Art  Uni- 
versity, majoring  in  photography. 


picked  selection  of  nice  used  gear,  such 
as  high-quality  umbrella  strollers,  cribs, 
toys  and  DVDs. 

Not  everything  at  Bug  will  be  sec- 
ond-hand. Eichenberger,  who  laugh- 
ingly explained  that  she  comes  from 
a  nonprofit  background  and  knows 
how  to  network,  is  enthusiastic  about 
her  plans  to  showcase  local  furniture 
makers  and  clothing  designers.  "I'm 
going  to  have  some  locally  designed, 
hip  clothes,  made  from  American  cot- 
ton, child  labor-  and  sweatshop-free,  at 
competitive  prices,"  she  said  proudly. 

She  even  knows  someone  who  will 
design  a  gorgeous,  high-end  diaper  bag 
just  for  Bug— but  instead  of  $150  (like 
certain  infamous  bags  making  the 
rounds  of  Pacific  Heights),  the  price  will 
be  closer  to  $80.  From  wooden  Melissa 
&  Doug  toys  to  hipster  onesies  and  Cali- 
fornia Baby  diaper  products,  adorable 
shower  and  birthday  gifts  will  be  a  Bug 
specialty. 

One  of  Eichenberger  s  most  fervent 
promises  is  to  keep  her  store  clean  and 
fresh-smelling.  "A  lot  of  second-hand 
stores  put  in  industrial  carpeting,  which 
soaks  up  smells  and  gets  grubby,"  she 
said.  Bug  will  have  smooth  Pergo  floors 
and  clean,  bright  throw-rugs.  "I  want 
people  to  enjoy  shopping  here,  and  feel 
good  about  setting  their  kids  down  on 
the  floor." 

Eichenberger  hopes  that  Bug  will 
become  something  of  a  family  oriented 
community  center.  She  will  provide  a 
space  for  baby  service  providers,  such 
as  baby  massage  therapists,  to  advertise 
for  free.  And  items  she  can't  sell  will  go 
to  a  local  charity  for  young  mothers  in 
need.  She's  optimistic  about  this  new 
venture,  and  excited  about  becoming 
part  of  the  neighborhood. 

"Glen  Park  is  the  first  neighbor- 
hood I  got  to  know  when  I  moved  to 
San  Francisco  in  the  '80s."  she  said.  "I 
love  it  here— it's  so  quaint  you  almost 
feel  you're  not  in  the  city." 

Bug,  at  648  Chenery  St.,  is  open' 
Tuesday  through  Saturday  10-6,  and 
Sunday  12-5,  except  for  the  15  min- 
utes that  Eichenberger  will  need  to  close 
the  store  to  pick  up  her  daughter  from 
daycare.  She  needn't  worry —Glen  Park 
moms  and  dads  understand  balancing 
childrearing  and  work. 


Emma  Bland  Smith  is  a  freelance  writer 
in  Glen  Park.  Her  year-old  son  Ever- 
ett is  looking  forward  to  a  whole  new 
wardrobe. 


Spring  2006 


Page  7 


Glen  Park  News 


Luis  Kemnitzer 


by 
Elizabeth 
Weise 


Longtime  Lippard  Street  resident,  San 
Francisco  State  Univer- 
sity emeritus  professor  of 
anthropology,  Grammy- 
award  winner  and  com- 
munity activist  Luis 
Kemnitzer  died  Feb.  17 
at  the  age  of  77  of  lung  cancer. 

Kemnitzer  earned  a  doctorate  in 
anthropology  from  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  in  the  1960s,  living  with 
members  of  the  Sioux  tribe  in  South 
Dakota.  He  eventually  was  adopted  by 
a  Sioux  family  as  an  honorary  son. 

He  came  to  San  Francisco  State  in 
1 968  as  an  anthropology  professor  in  the 
newly  formed  American  Indian  studies 
department.  Some  of  his  students  were 
among  those  who  occupied  Alcatraz  in 
1969. 

For  a  time,  Kemnitzer  lived  in  an 
anarchist  commune  in  the  Sunset  and 
then  the  Richmond  District.  When  he 
left,  he  bought  a  house  in  Glen  Park  and 
lived  here  until  his  death.  Kemnitzer 
had  a  long  history  of  involvement  in 


SEARCH  FOR  RHONDA 

CONTINUED  FROM  PAGE  1 

Gaskew  was  taken  to  Laguna  Honda 
Hospital  last  August.  Her  son  Donald, 
who  lived  with  her,  was  charged  with 
elder  abuse,  and  as  of  last  month  was  in 
a  San  Francisco  county  jail.  Smith  said 
it  was  still  being  determined  whether  or 
when  he  would  be  competent  to  stand 
trial.  On  November  3,  Nevergate  Gas- 
kew died  in  Laguna  Honda  at  age  75. 
The  cause  listed  on  the  death  certificate 
was  breast  cancer. 

Smith  said  that  Nevergate  Gaskew 
did  not  leave  a  will,  and  her  only  two 
children  were  Rhonda  and  Donald, 
neither  of  whom  have  children  of  their 
own.  Smith  said  she  needs  permission 
from  the  siblings'— or  a  probate  court 
judge— to  sell  the  house. 

Kangas  expects  that  the  chances  of 
finding  Rhonda  Gaskew  in  Glen  Park 
are  good,  and  he  asks  anyone  with  infor- 
mation to  contact  him  at  368-8581 . 

'  When  I  was  a  kid  in  Oregon,"  Kan- 
gas said,  "I  had  a  turtle,  and  it'd  make 
a  huge  circle  through  the  woods  and 
always  come  back  to  the  same  place, 
in  a  stream.  I  think  she'll  come  back 
here." 


Scott  Kirsner  moved  to  Glen  Park  last 
year.  He  is  a  longtime  contributor  to 
Wired  Magazine,  Fast  Company  and 
the  Boston  Globe. 


progressive  and  radical  causes,  joining 
the  Communist  Party  in  1949  and  for 
a  time  sheltering  a  Communist  during 
the  McCarthy  era.  He  helped  organize 
the  first  needle-exchange  program  in 
the  city  to  help  prevent  the  spread  of 
AIDS  among  injection  drug  users.  He 
also  volunteered  in  the  soup  kitchen 
at  Martin  de  Porres  House  on  Potrero 
Avenue. 

He  won  a  Grammy  for  being  one  of 
the  authors  of  the  liner  notes  of  a  Smith- 
sonian record  collection  called  "Anthol- 
ogy of  American  Folk  Music." 

He  is  survived  by  his  wife,  Moher 
Downing;  children  David  Kemnitzer  of 
Oakland  and  Lucy  Kemnitzer  of  Santa 
Cruz;  stepchildren  Ch'asca  Morse  of 
Los  Angeles,  David  Devlin  of  Oakland 
and  Timi  Devlin  of  San  Francisco;  a 
sister,  Donna  O'Halloran  of  Portland; 
a  brother,  Paul  Kemnitzer  of  Santa  Bar- 
bara; half-brother  Brian  Kemnitzer  of 
Tiburon;  half-sister  Jeannie  Kemnitzer 
of  Chichester,  England;  six  grandchil- 
dren and  one  great-grandchild. 


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Botany  and  Bugs,  in 
Glen  Canyon  Park  in  April 


Explore  Glen  Canyon  Park  with  two 
experts  the  first  weekend  in  April. 

Saturday,  April  l  at  10  a.m.,  join 
Glenn  Keater,  an  expert  on  native  flora, 
in  an  exploration  of  the 
ky         native  plants  in  Glen 
QQn       Canyon.  Keater  will 

Williams    teach  ParticiPants  t0 
recognize  the  amazing 

array  of  native  plants 

growing    there.  The 

teacher,  botanist  and  writer  has  written 

10  books  on  California  native  plants, 

led  botanical  explorations  to  unique 

California  locations  like  our  park,  and 

has  taught  courses  and  led  field  trips  on 

native  plants  for  the  California  Academy 

of  Sciences,  Golden  Gate  Park's  Strybing 

Arboretum,  the  Yosemite  Association 

and  international  nature  centers. 


Sunday,  April  2  at  10  a.m.,  "Spi- 
derman"  Darrel  Ubick,  senior  curatorial 
assistant  at  the  Department  of  Ento- 
mology of  the  California  Academy  of 
Sciences,  will  help  explorers  find 
something  new  to  them  in  our  ancient 
canyon.  According  to  author  and  expert 
Ubick,  "It's  not  necessarily  unusual  to 
find  something  new,  but  that  doesn't 
make  it  less  spectacular.  We  will  be 
trying  to  find  where  they  fit  in."  Ubick 
has  discovered  30  of  the  40,000  kinds  of 
spiders  himself  and  is  currently  working 
on  "A  tree  of  Life"  for  arachnids. 

Both  guided  explorations  will 
begin  behind  the  Recreation  Center 
in  Glen  Canyon  Park.  The  events  are 
jointly  sponsored  by  the  Friends  of  Glen 
Canyon  Park  and  The  California  Native 
Plant  Society. 


Merchants'  Corner 


New  businesses  are  continuing  to  find 
a  home  in  Glen  Park.  One  is  Bug,  a 
nearlv-new  children's  clothing  store 
which  is  set  \o  open 

by 

in  March  in  the  space 
Ric        at  648  Chenery  St. 
Lopez      formerly  occupied  by 
a  tanning  salon.  The 
story  on  the  previous 
page  has  more  information. 

Up  on  Diamond  Heights  the  new 
Walgreens  opened  March  6,  as  workers 
were  putting  the  finishing  touches  on 
the  space. 

But  while  new  businesses  are 
always  welcome,  numerous  establish- 
ments have  stood  the  test  of  time  in  our 
little  corner  of  San  Francisco. 


Buddie's  has  been  a  busy  neighbor- 
hood market  for  more  than  40  years. 
Dalere's  Hair  Salon  seems  to  be  the 
"crowning  glory"  of  our  hair  salons, 
having  been  in  business  since  1 968. 

Some  other  venues  and  their 
vintages: 

Glen  Park  Hardware:  1962 
Higher  Grounds:  1981 
Tiger's:  1984 
Critter  Fritters:  1985 
Cheese  Boutique:  1992 


Ric  Lrfpez  is  president  of  the  Glen  Park 
Merchants'  Association.  Elizabeth 
Weise  contributed  to  this  report. 


Glen  Park  News 


Page  8 


Spring  2006 


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on  Larry  King  Live  and  know  all  you 
need  to  know  about  Christian  Values? 

Think  you  know  enough  about  being  a 
Christian  not  to  want  to  be  one? 


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•  where  we  offer  not  just  answers  but  a  place  to  ask  questions.  O 
•  where  no  matter  where  you  are  on  your  journey  of  faith, 

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media 


Ohlone  Way  P 

Ohlone  Way,  One  of  a 
Series:  Remarkable 
Things  About  Glen  Park 


Photo  by  Ellen  Rosenthal 


BfiS 


Ohlone  Way  was  not  always  blessed 
with  that  name.  When  I  purchased  a 
rather  abused  old  Van  Buren  Street 
cottage  in  1983,  a  one  block  bramble- 
choked  nameless  alley 
by        with  muddy  ends  at 
Dolan      Sussex  and  Surrey  ran 
Eargle      behind  the  house.  Alley 
clearance   required  a 
space  13  feet  wide  — a 
width  I  found  from  some  City  ordi- 
nance—"so  that  emergency  vehicles 
can  pass.  With  heavy  gloves  and  boots, 
a  heavy-duty  branch  clipper  and  three 
pickup  truckloads  of  bushes.  I  made 
the  space. 

What's  the  use  of  improving  an  alley 
if  it  doesn't  have  a  name?  How  to  name 
a  street?  (I  don't  mean  like  renaming 
Bush  Street  or  something  like  that.) 
First,  I  got  a  clipboard  and  took  it  to  City 
Hall  in  the  exciting  process  of  exploring 
ordinances.  There.  I  came  across  lots  of 
data,  called  history,  in  the  room  called 
Assessor-Recorder.  It  has  the  appealing 
odor  of  antiquity,  as  well  as  records  of 
who  owns  what.  In  poster-sized  pages, 
I  found  the  layout  of  the  block  around 
the  alley,  and  names  and  addresses  of 
the  then-current  owners. 

At  that  time.  1986,  San  Francisco 
had  only  a  handful  of  "dedicated" 
City  streets  without  names.  Ours  was 
one  such  street  — City-owned,  but 
totally  bereft  of  any  attentions  by  the 
City.  It  was  and  is  up  to  the  bordering 
homeowners  to  do  with  it  such  as  they 
would.  Owners  can  fence  off  their  prop- 
erty or  not,  neglect  it  or  not,  improve  it 
or  not. 

Armed  with  a  layout,  I  made  up  a 


little  petition  to  give  the  alley  a  name, 
Ohlone  Way,  to  honor  the  local  Indian 
groups  around  the  Bay.  The  name  itself 
is  the  title  of  Malcolm  Margolin's  book 
about  the  lives  of  our  earliest  Native 
residents.  "Way."  by  the  way.  is  now 
commonly  assigned  to  streets  that  have 
only  one  13-foot  lane.  Of  the  23  abut- 
ting properties,  20  owners  signed  the 
petition,  two  were  not  at  home,  one 
declined.  The  final  step  in  naming 
the  street  was  to  set  up  a  hearing  with 
the  two  or  three  supervisors  who  are 
assigned  to  such  tasks.  I  went,  presented 
my  petition,  and  it  immediately  passed. 
Two  weeks  later,  after  someone  in  City 
Hall  commissioned  them,  street  signs 
appeared  on  both  ends  of  Ohlone  Way. 

Historic  Carriageway 

This  little  alley  was  a  carriageway  origi- 
nally laid  out  in  1906.  The  five  exist- 
ing small  structures  fronting  on  it  are 
survivor  carriage  houses.  One  has  been 
remodeled  into  a  small  self-standing 
apartment  and  bears  a  mark  of  its  earlier 
existence  — a  now-boarded-up  hayloft. 
In  the  interior,  ceiling  beams  were  left 
uncovered  on  the  outer  edges,  so  that 
air  may  circulate  into  the  upper  portion, 
now  a  lofty  bedroom  and  office.  Can 
you  imagine  the  lady  of  the  big  house 
cranking  up  the  telephone  down  to  the 
corral  in  the  park,  asking  the  groom  to 
bring  up  the  horse,  and  pick  up  some 
hay  here  on  the  way  back? 

Another  Ohlone  Way  carriage  house 
is  now  used  as  a  guest  room.  Its  plan 
doesn't  have  a  single  right  angle,  since 

CONTINUED  ON  PAGE  15 


Spring  2006 


Page  9 


Glen  Park  News 


Glen  Park  Carts  Provide 
Dangerous  Thrill  Rides 


The  steep,  windy  blocks  of  Diamond 
Street  have  been  turned  into  Glen 
Park's  own  giant  slalom 
by        course,  but  instead  of 
Rachel     s^'s  an^  snowboards, 
Gordon     neighborhood  young- 
sters are  riding  garbage 
bins  and  shopping  carts 

down  the  hill. 

Diamond  Street,  however,  has 
no  chair  lifts  to  bring  the  thrill-seek- 
ers—and  more  importantly,  their  stolen 
gear— back  Up  the  hill.  That  means  the 
carts  and  garbage  cans  are  left  aban- 
doned at  the  bottom  of  the  hill  in  the 
heart  of  the  neighborhood  commercial 
district. 

"I  hate  to  sound  like  a  NIMBY,  but 
it  adds  to  neighborhood  blight,"  said 
Tomas  Ramirez,  who  lives  on  Diamond 
Street  and  has  called  Safeway  numerous 
times  to  come  get  the  shopping  carts  that 
have  stacked  up  on  his  block. 

He  also  spoke  of  the  potential  dan- 
ger. The  people  riding  the  carts  and  gar- 
bage bins  move  fairly  swiftly  down  the 
street.  And  of  course  there  are  no  brakes 
or  safety  gear  involved.  "It  worries  me 
that  kids  are  doing  that,"  Ramirez  said. 


His  neighbors  agree. 

The  shopping  cart  problem  wors- 
ened after  Safeway  recently  remodeled 
its  Diamond  Heights  store  and  stocked 
it  with  a  batch  of  new  carts  that  were 
not  equipped  with  anti-theft  devices.  It 
wasn't  long  before  the  neighborhood 
daredevils  caught  on.  The  supermarket 
chain  is  now  adding  an  electronic  lock- 
ing system  to  each  cart  so  they  can't  be 
moved  when  they're  wheeled  past  the 
shopping  center  parking  lot. 

"Our  wish  is  always  that  people 
don't  steal  the  shopping  carts,"  said 
Safeway  spokeswoman  Jennifer  Web- 
ber. A  shopping  cart  costs  between  $  100 
and  $  1 25  to  replace. 

The  supermarket  chain  contracts 
with  a  retrieval  company  that  trolls 
the  streets  for  abandoned  carts  and 
also  responds  when  there  are  specific 
complaints.  Webber  said  she  is  hopeful 
that  once  the  carts  are  retrofitted  with 
the  wheel-locking  devices  the  cart  theft 
will  subside. 

Meanwhile,  teens  and  young  adults 
also  have  been  co-opting  Sunset  Scaven- 
ger's black,  green  and  blue  receptacles 
to  ride  the  hills,  precariously  balancing 


Glen  Park  Advisory  Board 
News:  Family  Fun  Fest 


Our  annual  Family  Fun  Fest  is  set  for 
Saturday,  May  13,  from  1 1  a.m.  to  3 
p.m.  It  will  be  held  at 
by        Glen  Park  on  the  lawn 
Miriam     near   the  Recreation- 
Moss      Building  and  children's 
playground.  This  free 
event  is  a  great  way  to  meet  your 
neighbors,  have  some  fun  and  share 
good  eats.  There  will  be  entertainment, 
games  and  our  always-popular  raffle. 
Proceeds  from  the  raffle  help  fund 
children's  activities  at  the  Recreation 
Center. 

Anyone  interested  in  being  part 
of  the  entertainment,  art  projects, 
games,  donating  food,  or  sharing  ideas 
for  the  Fun  Fest  can  contact  me  at 


moss3X@earthlink.net. 

The  Advisory  Board's  latest  proj- 
ect has  been  to  purchase  three  8-foot 
benches,  which  will  be  placed  near 
the  picnic  area  by  the  children's  play- 
ground. We  are  waiting  for  their  arrival 
and  will  then  help  with  the  installation 
by  the  Recreation  and  Park  Department. 
When  they  are  finally  installed  we  hope 
you  enjoy  being  able  to  sit  in  the  park  on 
a  bench  and  relax,  read  a  book  or  watch 
activities  in  the  park. 

Miriam  Moss  is  a  member  of  the  Glen 
Park  Advisory  Board.  For  more  infor- 
mation about  goings-on  at  the  Park, 
see  Supervisor  Bevan  Dufty 's  column 
on  page  4. 


Real  Estate  in  Glen  Park 

This  popular  column  is  on  hiatus  while  columnist  Bill  Berry  takes  paternity  leave. 
Glen  Park  resident  and  realtor  Vince  Beaudet  has  volunteered  to  take  over,  begin- 
ning with  our  next  issue. 


An  abandoned  shopping  cart  on  Wilder  Street 


Photo  by  Liz  Mangelsdorf 


on  the  bins'  two  wheels.  It's  not  uncom- 
mon to  see  the  abandoned  garbage  and 
recycling  cans  overturned  at  the  inter- 
section of  Diamond  and  Chenery  streets 
or  outside  the  BART  station,  their  bot- 
toms scuffed  from  scraping  the  asphalt. 
They  make  a  very  loud  rumbling  noise 
when  they're  ridden;  the  whoops  and 
hollers  from  the  person  they're  carrying 


add  to  the  amusement-park  air. 

The  cans  cost  between  $32  and  $45 
each,  depending  on  the  size,  and  are  the 
property  of  the  garbage  company.  Paul 
Guisti,  the  garbage  company's  busi- 
ness manager,  was  surprised  when 
asked  about  the  heavy  bins  being  used 
for  human  transport  in  Glen  Park.  "No 
one's  called  us  to  complain,"  he  said. 


San  Francisco  Services 

Abandoned  Cars 

553-9817 

Building  Inspection  Info 

558-6088 

Bus  Shelters  (repair/clean) 

882-4949 

District  8  Supervisor  Bevan  Dufty 

554-6968 

Garbage  (oversized  item  pickup) 

330-1300 

Graffiti  Hotline 

28-CLEAN 

Mobile  Assistant  Patrol  (MAP) 

431-7400 

(Homeless  Outreach/Transportation) 

Mobile  Crisis  Team 

255-3610 

(Mental  Health) 

Muni  Information 

673-6864 

Muni  Complaint/Compliment 

923-6164 

Parking  Enforcement 

553-1200 

Police  (non  emergency) 

553-0123 

Potholes 

695-2100 

Rent  Stabilization  Board 

252-4600 

Street  Construction  Complaints 

554-7222 

Street  Lighting 

554-0730 

Tree  Problems 

695-2165 

Towed  Cars 

553-1235 

Mayor's  Office  of 

Neighborhood  Services  www.sfgov.org/mons 

Glen  Park  News 


Page  10 


Spring  2006 


Find  out  how  you  can  join 
with  your  neighbors  and  friends 
to  support  the 

New  Glen  Park  Library 
Capital  Campaign 


FRIENDS 

 of  the  

SAN  FRANCISCO 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


Please  contact: 

Marian  Chatfield-Taylor 

Friends  of  the  San  Francisco  Public  Library 

Phone:  415-626-7512  ext.  103 

E-mail:  marian.ctaylor@rriendssfpl.org 


MAIL  &  COPY 

Your  Neighborhood  Postal  Center 


In  Diamond  Heights 
Safeway  Center 

5214F  Diamond  Hgts  Blvd 
415-282-2100  (phone) 
415-282-2102  (fax) 
www.jensens-sf.com 


T 
T 
▼ 

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Shipping  (DHL,  FedEx, 

US  Mail,  UPS; 

domestic  &  international) 
Expert  custom  packing 
Boxes  &  packing  supplies 
Copies,  including  color 

laser  copies 
Mailbox  rental 
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Rubber  stamps 
Public  fax 
Lamination 
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▼  Pack  and  ship 

▼  Ample  parking 

▼  Friendly  staff 


Monday  -  Friday:  9am-6pm 
Saturday:  9am-3pm 
Visa  &  Mastercard  accepted 


Check  It  Out  at  the  Library! 


There  are  new  faces  among  the  staff 
at  the  Glen  Park  branch  library.  Our 
longtime  page  Aurora  resigned  after 
receiving  a  promotion 
by         at  her  other  job.  She 
Sharon     has  been  replaced  by 
Dezurick    Ileana.  When  the  Noe 
Valley  branch  finally 
closed  for  renovation, 
Glen  Park  was  assigned  one  of  their 
pages,  as  well  as  some  time  from  their 
library  assistant  and  children's  librarian. 
We  welcome  their  help. 

The  proposed  budget  for  the  fiscal 
year  that  starts  July  1  includes  additional 
staff  for  the  new  Glen  Park  branch:  a 
half-time  librarian,  the  equivalent  of 
1-1/2  library  assistants  and  a  half-time 
page. 

We  are  already  are  seeing  the  impact 
of  Noe  Valley's  closure  for  the  next  two- 
plus  years  with  increased  reserves  and 
sometimes  saddened  Noe  Valley  patrons 
as  refugees.  Renovating,  seismic  upgrad- 
ing and  meeting  ADA  requirements  in 
an  historic  building  on  a  tight  lot  is  a 
huge,  expensive  challenge. 

We  were  offered  some  of  Noe's 
materials,  but  had  to  regretfully  decline 
because  of  our  lack  of  space.  However, 
we  did  agree  to  house  Noe's  subscrip- 
tion to  Value  Line,  which  local  investors 
may  want  to  look  at.  We  also  have  the 
Morningstar  Guide  and  a  subscription 
to  the  Wall  Street  Journal. 

New  Branch  Progress 

Since  the  tattered  plastic  and  scaffold- 
ing came  down,  we  can  see  what  the 
second-floor  exterior  of  our  new  branch 
library  looks  like.  We  are  reviewing 
plans  from  the  City's  Bureau  of  Archi- 
tecture as  we  prepare  to  bid  out  work 
to  create  the  interior  of  the  library.  My 
boss  and  1  are  looking  at  such  details 
as  furniture,  shelving  and  where  to 
put  outlets.  (We  don't  want  to  move 
in  and  immediately  start  using  exten- 
sion cords!)  Our  engineering  staff  is 
looking  over  heating,  ventilation  and 
mechanical  issues,  and  our  information 
technology  staff  is  reviewing  computer 
and  data-related  issues.  We  are  on  the 
move  on  all  this  at  last!  Furniture  should 
be  ordered  soon  by  the  Friends  of  the 


San  Francisco  Public  Library. 

The  Glen  Park  branch's  eventual 
closure  will  be  brief,  just  long  enough 
to  move  ourselves  and  the  collection 
and  unpack  our  stored  materials. 

Successful  Fund-Raiser 

Our  February  10  fund-raiser  show- 
ing "In  the  Shadow  of  the  Stars,"  the 
Academy  Award-winning  documentary 
filmed  by  Allie  Light  and  Irving  Saraf, 
was  a  big  success.  Several  of  the  choris- 
ters featured  in  the  film  attended.  There 
also  were  opera  buffs,  neighborhood 
residents,  librarians  and  library  sup- 
porters among  the  about  200  people 
attending.  I'd  hke  to  offer  a  big  thank- 
you  to  everyone  who  attended  and  the 
community  in  general. 

Many  thanks  to  co-chair  Bon- 
nie Willdorf,  who  secured  the  Lick 
Wilmerding  High  School  theater  and 
library  for  the  event,  Kate  Boyd  and 
Cliff  Mayotte  of  the  Lick  staff,  Joseph 
Schuver  of  Destination  Bakery,  the  San 
Francisco  Opera  company  for  their 
cooperation,  the  campaign  committee 
and  super  fund-raiser  Marian  Chatfield- 
Taylor  of  the  Friends.  The  ticket  sales 
and  raffle  raised  $4,500.  Thanks  also 
to  event  sponsors  Carlota  Texidor  del 
Portilla,  Kieran  Buckley  of  Don  Bauer 
and  Company,  and  Howard  Reinstein 
of  Prudential  California  Realty. 

Back  at  the  current  branch  we  are 
busy  ordering  materials,  checking  mate- 
rials out  and  in,  sending  and  receiving 
reserves,  conducting  story  time,  weed- 
ing materials,  packing  up  materials 
that  the  current  branch  is  too  small  to 
accommodate,  preparing  for  summer 
reading  club,  and  doing  the  occasional 
bit  of  reference  work. 

The  library  is  also  engaging  in  the 
Every  Child  Ready  to  Read  Program 
that  emphasizes  how  parents  and  care- 
givers can  help  prepare  young  children 
for  school  and  learning  to  read.  Much  of 
what  is  suggested  is  not  new,  but  what 
is  new  is  the  research  that  shows  how 
these  strategies  work. 


Sharon  Dezurick  is  the  Glen  Park 
branch  librarian. 


Spring  2006 


Page  11 


Glen  Park  News 


 — —  

the.  ijvpotst  &  most  important  clty  subdivision  ever  placed  on  the" 
2250  lots  -  48  Blocks  >.\>FRAniiscpavvrKeT 


On  Patrol  in  Glen  Park 


Sunnyside  Plat  Map  courtesy  of  The  Western  Neighborhoods  Project 

Sunnyside  History  Fair 


Ever  wonder  who  lived  here  before 
everything  was  built  up?  Just  who 
'Joost'  was?  Who  built  the  Sunnyside 
Conservatory? 

The  answers  to  those  and  a  host 
of  other  questions  were  found  at  the 
Sunnyside  History  Fair  and  Sunnyside 
Elementary  School 
reunion  on  Feb.  11. 

Elizabeth    If  was  organized  and 
Weise      aided  by  the  Sunnyside 
Neighborhood  Associa- 
tion, whose  president  is 
our  own  Ric  Lopez  of  ModernPast  and 
Red  Rock  fame.  Ric  grew  up  in  Sun- 
nyside, went  to  Sunnyside  Elementary 
and  still  lives  there. 

The  fair  drew  hundreds  of  neigh- 
bors, historians  and  former  residents 
to  the  lovely  Sunnyside  School  audi- 
torium. Arrayed  around  the  room  were 
hundreds  of  photos  of  the  area  from  the 
1800s  to  today.  The  Sunnyside  History 
Project,  the  Western  Neighborhoods 
Project,  the  school's  own  PTA  and  St. 
Finn  Barr  hosted  tables.  A  Sunnyside 
oral  history  project  signed  up  those  with 
long  memories  to  share  their  stories. 

Sunnyside  has  a  long  and  interest- 
ing history.  Originally  lands  used  by  the 
Ohlone  Indians,  Sunnyside  was  part  of 
a  land  grant  given  to  Jose  de  Jesus  Noe 
and  was  part  of  the  San  Miguel  Rancho. 
It  was  sold  in  the  1860s. 

German-bom  Behrend  Joost  put  his 
money  into  real  estate  — a  few  acres  of 
a  rural  hillside  used  as  pasture  on  the 
western  edge  of  Glen  Canyon.  His  plan 
was  to  build  the  city's  first  interurban 
streetcar  line  and  then  sell  lots  in  the 
area  near  the  lines. 

In  1891  Joost's  "Sunny  Side  Land 
Company"  filed  its  official  survey  and 
plat  map  with  the  City.  The  "San  Fran- 
cisco and  San  Mateo  Railway"  opened 


on  April  27,  1892  and  ran  right  past  it. 
It  was  bounded  by  Adolph  Sutro's  forest 
to  the  west,  the  city  jail  to  the  south  and 
Glen  Canyon  to  the  north. 

In  the  early  1900s  W.A.  Merralls 
built  the  Sunnyside  Conservatory.  It  has 
been  everything  from  a  exotic  plant  tea 
garden  to  an  experimental  tuberculosis 
sanitarium  to  a  city  park.  A  neighbor- 
hood group  is  working  to  refurbish  it. 

Joost's  lots  sold  slowly  through  the 
early  1900s.  But  after  the  1906  earth- 
quake and  fire,  housing  shortages  gave 
the  area  a  boost.  The  Sunnyside  School 
was  built  and  a  new  streetcar  line,  the 
10  Sunnyside,  quickly  turned  it  into  a 
bustling  area.  Areas  around  Sunnyside 
also  were  built  up.  In  the  late  1910s  and 
early  1920s  Sutro's  forest  was  cut  down 
and  became  Wesrwood  Park  and  West- 
wood  Highlands.  The  City's  Ingleside 
Jail  was  replaced  by  City  College. 

As  a  real  estate  brochure  of  the  time 
said,  "You  can  live  in  beautiful,  healthy, 
convenient  Sunnyside  in  the  center  of 
San  Francisco  and  get  to  your  work 
downtown  quicker  than  can  a  million- 
aire in  Pacific  Heights." 

With  the  placement  of  highways 
280  and  101,  it's  as  true  today  as  it 
was  in  1909. 

Much  of  the  history  in  this  article  is 
drawn  from  a  pamphlet  by  the  Sunny- 
side History  Association  titled  A  Brief 
Look  at  Sunny  Side  and  the  Sunnyside 
portion  of  the  Western  Neighborhoods 
Project  Web  site. 

Sunnyside  resources: 

The  Western  Neighborhoods  Project 

www.outsidelands.org 

Sunnyside  History  Project 

www.snasf.org 


Recently,  I've  been  approached  sev- 
eral times— both  on  and  off  duty  — by 
people  who  wish  to  bring  to  my  atten- 
tion   concerns  they 
by         have  regarding  what 

SFPD      they  believe  might  be 

Officer  illegal  activity  in  the 
Michael     neighborhood.  Some 

Walsh  tell  me  about  houses 
where  they  think  the 
residents  are  engaged  in  narcotics 
sales  or  gang  activity.  Others  report 
cars  suspiciously  double  parked  while 
occupants  make  a  short  visit  to  a  certain 
house  and  then  drive  off.  Still  others 
tell  me  of  neighbors  who  appear  to  be 
engaged  in  commercial  car  repairs  out 
of  their  homes,  obviously  without  a  per- 
mit and  in  violation  of  the  law.  These 
are  vexing  and  potentially  dangerous 
problems  for  any  neighborhood. 

When  I  receive  these  complaints, 
I  typically  run  a  computer  check  of 
the  address  in  question,  as  well  as  the 
neighboring  addresses,  to  review  the 
history  of  requests  for  service  received 
by  the  Police  Department  from  con- 
cerned residents. 

I  always  am  surprised  to  discover 
that  in  Glen  Park  there  are  very  few 
calls  made  by  residents  asking  the 
police  to  take  action  to  address  these 
complaints.  Even  more  frustrating,  the 
majority  of  calls  we  do  receive  indi- 
cate "no  909"— police  code  for  "do  not 
meet  with  the  citizen  who  called."  For 
a  variety  of  reasons,  people  appear  to 
be  reluctant  to  get  involved.  Even  after 
a  serious  event,  such  as  the  shooting 
which  occurred  on  the  300  block  of 
Arlington  on  Feb.  18,  callers  did  not 
want  to  go  on  record.  This  circumstance 
usually  leaves  the  officers  few  options 
for  enforcement. 

Most  of  the  reported  violations  are 
misdemeanors  or  infractions,  which 
require  that  complainants  make  a 
statement  and  possibly  sign  a  private 
person's  arrest  form,  popularly  called 
a  citizen's  arrest.  Many,  such  as  a 
noise  complaint,  require  two  indepen- 
dent complainants.  The  opportunity 
to  speak  with  a  complainant  provides 
the  officers  reasonable  suspicion  to 
investigate  further,  hopefully  establish 
probable  cause  and,  if  appropriate,  take 
action.  A  continuing  history  of  infrac- 
tions, citations  or  arrests  of  the  violators 
can  lead  to  a  higher  level  of  prosecution 
by  the  district  attorney  as  well  as  qual- 
ity-of-life  enforcement  action  by  the 
city  attorney. 

I  have  found  that  many  neighbors 
share  the  same  concerns  but,  due  to  the 


nature  of  modern  urban  life,  might  not 
know  their  neighbors  and  don't  want 
to  stand  alone  in  defiance  of  the  viola- 
tors. If  people  were  aware  others  felt  as 
they  do  and  would  like  to  see  something 
done,  they  might  be  more  inclined  to  go 
on  record  with  their  complaint.  Starting 
a  neighborhood  watch  is  an  excellent 
way  for  a  small  group  of  neighbors 
to  get  to  know  each  other  and  address 
the  safety  concerns  in  their  immediate 
area. 

San  Francisco  Safe,  Inc.  (673- 
7233)  is  an  excellent  organization 
that  can  help  your  block  establish  a 
neighborhood  watch  and  assist  the 
Police  Department  in  addressing  these 
problems.  At  any  given  time  in  San 
Francisco,  approximately  200-300  offi- 
cers are  on  patrol  in  a  city  of  750,000 
residents  whose  population  swells  to 
more  than  1  million  during  the  day. 
We  need  proactive  citizens  to  assist  us 
by  being  our  eyes  and  ears  and  provid- 
ing the  information  we  need  to  identify 
violators  and  to  take  enforcement  action 
where  appropriate. 

In  addition,  if  you  have  informa- 
tion regarding  a  serious  crime  but  fear 
retribution  if  identified,  you  can  call 
the  Ingleside  Station  anonymous  tip 
line  at  587-8984.  This  line  allows  you 
the  opportunity  to  pass  along  detailed 
information  without  fear  of  jeopardiz- 
ing your  identity. 

Get  involved  in  making  Glen  Park 
a  safer  neighborhood. 


Officer  Mike  Walsh  is  assigned  to  the 
Ingleside  Police  District  and  lives  in 
Glen  Park.  He  can  be  contacted  by 
e-mail  at  mwalsh47J9@sbcglobal.net. 


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San  Francisco,  CA  941 10 
www.synergyschool.org 

(4!  5)  567-6177 


Glen  Park  News 


Page  1 2 


Spring  2006 


Our  family .. . 
caring  for  yours 


> 


St.  Luke's 
Hospital 

A  Sutter  Health  Affiliate 
With  You.  For  Life. 


Quality  Care, 
Close  to  Home 

www.stlukes-sf.org 


Women  &  Chidren's  Services 

at  St.  Luke's 


Al  St  LuKe's,  our  learn  ol  OB/GYN  physicians,  certified  nurse-miOwtves 
and  obstetrical  nurses  has  strong  roots  m  the  community  This  allows  lor 
personal  interaction  and  a  'small-town  reel'  that  sets  St  Luke's  apart 

from  other  San  Francisco  hospitals 

Women  and  Children's  Services  at  st  Luke  s  oners 

•  Prenatal  Care  and  a  unique  childbirth  philosophy 

•  Childbirth.  Labor  &  Delivery  and  Postpartum  Care 

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•  Childbirth  and  Yoga  Classes 

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•  A  Neonatal  intensive  Care  Unit  (NICU1 

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For  more  information  about  Women  and  Children's  Services  al  St  Luke's 
and  to  receive  a  free  copy  ol  our  medical  staff  directory,  Including  our 

OB/GYNs.  call  (415)641-6657 


In  Glen  Canyon  Park 


W  hether  you  need  help  with  an  existing  Legal  issue 
or  just  want  to  understand  your  rights 

Legal  advice  is  just  around  the  corner! 


Law  Offices  of 

DAWN  L,  HASSELL 

MEMBER,  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS,  SAN  FRANCISCO  TRIAL  LAWYERS  ASSOCIATION 


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hassell@sbcglobal  net 


by 
Jean 
Conner 


Spring  is  already  here  in  the  Canyon. 
The  grassy  slopes  are  green  and  the 
willows  along  the 
creek  are  beginning 
to  turn  into  pussy 
willows.  The  owls  are 
nesting,  the  red-tailed 
hawks  are  flying  and 
the  hummingbirds  are  busy. 

Early  shrubs  such  as  the  pink 
flowering  currant  and  osoberry  are  in 
full  bloom.  One  patch  of  shooting  stars 
has  already  finished  blooming.  Here 
and  there  a  single  columbine  flower  or 
iris  blossom  shows  promise  of  more  to 
come. 

The  osoberry  has  small  white 
flowers.  Each  bush  is  either  a  pollen- 
bearing  male  or  a  fruit-bearing  female. 
Perhaps  it  is  called  "osoberry"  because 
the  early  Spanish  found  bears  (oso)  eat- 
ing the  berries.  Osoberry  grows  really 
well  in  the  canyon  along  the  trails  and 
on  the  rocky  hillsides.  It  seems  they 
would  be  an  attractive  small  shrub  for 
a  garden  although  1  haven't  seen  them 
in  a  nursery,  not  even  one  devoted  to 
native  plants.  Is  there  a  reason  why  they 
aren't  more  popular? 

The  pink  flowering  currant  has  been 
introduced  to  the  canyon.  It  is  believed 
that  since  it  is  a  native  of  coastal  stream 
areas  it  must  have  been  here  at  some 
time  in  the  past.  Many  of  them  have 
been  planted  by  Friends  of  Glen  Canyon 
volunteers  and  the  Natural  Area  garden- 
ers. You  can  see  them  as  you  walk  along 
the  trails.  Two  large  shrubs  are  in  the 
fenced  area  near  the  Silvertree  build- 


ing. Others  can  be  seen  as  you  walk 
the  trails  back  beyond  Silvertree.  In 
the  early  Spring,  late  January  or  early 
February,  the  clusters  of  pink  flowers 
hang  from  bare  branches.  Green  leaves 
soon  appear.  The  fragrant  leaves  remain 
through  the  summer  and  into  the  fall 
if  the  currant  happens  to  be  in  a  shady 
spot.  The  hanging  clusters  of  currants 
change  from  green  to  black  and  provide 
food  for  birds  during  the  winter.  The 
pink  flowering  currant  is  an  easy  shrub 
to  grow.  It  makes  an  attractive  addition 
to  a  garden. 

Friends  of  Glen  Canyon  Park  have 
had  some  very  successful  work  parties. 
In  2005  we  put  in  over  375  volunteer 
work  hours  in  the  canyon.  And  2006 
started  off  with  a  bang  when  17  volun- 
teers from  the  organization  called  "One 
Brick"  came  to  help  us.  They  helped 
plant  over  300  native  plants  during  our 
January  work  party. 

The  February  work  party  was  also 
successful,  with  12  volunteers  and  three 
Natural  Area  gardeners  removing  inva- 
sive cape  ivy  from  the  willows.  Cape  ivy, 
a  native  of  South  Africa,  was  introduced 
to  the  United  States  as  a  houseplanl  It 
is  no  problem  in  cold  climates  but  the 
coastal  region  of  San  Francisco  has  a  mild 
climate  that  allows  it  to  run  rampant. 

Be  sure  to  check  the  Community 
Calendar  for  upcoming  events  in  the 
Canyon.  Come  with  us  to  enjoy  a  spring 
work  morning;  walk  to  check  out  the 
birds,  insects  and  native  flowers  or  just 
relax  with  a  cup  of  coffee  and  a  stack 
of  pancakes. 


Pink  Flowering  Currant 


Spring  2006 


Page  13 


Glen  Park  News 


Digging  the  Dirt: 
News  from  the  Garden  Club 


With  the  lovely  warm  weather  we  expe- 
rienced early  in  the  year  came  a  severe 
case  of  spring  fever.  The  only  cure  that 
seemed  logical  was  just  to  give  in  to  it 
and  make  a  trip  to  the  closest  nursery. 

After  planting  my  newly  acquired 
yellow  and  red  primroses,  pansies,  red 
lettuce  and  herbs  1  am  feeling  much 
better.  My  garden  is  small  with  lots  of 
pots,  but  there  are  always  bare  spots  to 
be  filled  with  color.  It  is  fun  to  combine 
herbs  and  vegetables 
by         with  the  flowers  for 

Carol  interesting  textures. 
Maerzke  Some  of  the  pots  were 
root-bound  so  they  had 
to  be  completely  redone 
with  fresh  soil.  Placing  paper  over  the 
holes  in  the  pot  keeps  the  soif  from  escap- 
ing and  allows  water  to  drain.  My  herb 
garden  lives  in  a  pot  with  two  kinds  of 
thyme,  lemon  balm  and  oregano  added 
to  the  chives  and  rosemary.  I  found  that 
the  secret  to  successful  pot  gardening  is 
slow-release  fertilizer  pellets 

If  you  would  like  a  treat  for  indoor 
gardening,  try  orchids.  Jeff  Britt,  our 
resident  orchid  specialist,  has  suggested 
some  types  that  are  easiest  to  grow.  These 
include  lady  slipper  (paphiopedilum), 
moth  orchid  (phalaenopsis),  dendrobium 
orchid  (phalaenopsis)  and  jewell  orchid 
(ludisia  discolor).  They  need  at  least 


three  hours  a  day  of  sunlight  through 
a  sheer  curtain,  water  every  7-10  days, 
fertilizer  every  third  watering,  and  they 
like  to  have  African  violets  for  company. 
Cymbidium  orchids  grow  outdoors  and 
need  sun  to  bloom. 

Most  of  us  here  in  Glen  Park  are 
avid  recyclers.  It  was  amazing  to  find 
out  at  a  garden  club  meeting  that  there 
is  a  wood  recycler  in  our  neighborhood. 
Mark  Madsen  of  "Woodpile  Artworks" 
uses  trees  destined  for  landfill  to  pro- 
duce beautiful  wood  products  such  as 
salad  bowls,  vases,  lamps  and  whim- 
sical art.  These  wonderful  pieces  are 
created  in  his  studio  with  a  lathe 

Now  that  spring  is  almost  here,  the 
mini-daffodils  that  have  naturalized 
in  my  garden  are  nodding  cheerfully. 
If  you  did  not  get  around  to  planting 
bulbs  in  the  fall  you  can  purchase  plants 
already  in  bud  to  set  out  for  instant 
gratification.  Summer-blooming  bulbs 
to  plant  now  in  Glen  Park  are  gladiola, 
wood  poppy,  shooting  star  and  trillium, 
as  well  as  dahlia  tubers.  Other  plants 
to  purchase  are  rhododendron,  azalea, 
hellebores  and  clivia. 

When  spring  fever  attacks  you,  try 
my  cure.  It  works  every  time! 


Carol  Maerzke  is  a  member  of  the  Glen 
Park  Garden  Club 


Only  in  San  Francisco  can  you 

find  a  native  plant  garden  tour  that 

highlights  "designer 

gardens"  along  with 

gardens  at  a  grocery 
Jeanne     store  a  scnooi  a  ciub. 

Halpern  house,  a  museum  and 
a  fire  station.  Plus  all 
those  front-  and  back- 
yard gardens. 

The  Glen  Park,  Miraloma  and  Mt. 
Davidson  areas  are  hosts  to  the  most 
gardens  in  this  year's  Mother's  Day 
Native  Plant  Garden  Tour,  which  is 
free  of  charge.  Private  homes  and  pub- 
lic gardens  will  be  open  for  the  tour  on 
Mother's  Day,  May  14,  from  10  a.m -2 
p.m.  No  registration  is  required. 

On  this  year's  tour  you  can  visit  a 
garden  designed  by  Alrie  Middlebrook 
of  Middlebrook  Gardens  that  reflects 
a  variety  of  California  habitats,  from 
coastal  meadow  to  redwood  forest.  Or 
you  can  walk  through  a  cliffside  gar- 
den based  on  native  plants  from  Glen 
Canyon,  Mt.  Davidson  and  San  Bruno 
Mountain.  Or  a  low-maintenance  garden 


at  the  Miraloma  firehouse  with  a  few 
non-natives  mixed  in  for  variety. 

Organized  by  the  Yerba  Buena 
Chapter  of  the  California  Native  Plant 
Society  (CNPS),  this  year's  tour  dra- 
matizes the  beauty  of  native  plants  in 
an  urban  setting.  It  shows  how  gardens 
with  low  water  and  maintenance  require- 
ments attract  birds,  butterflies  and  bees. 
And  it  also  points  out  just  which  native 
plants  thrive  in  this  environment. 

The  tour  includes  the  demonstra- 
tion garden  at  the  Presidio  Native  Plant 
Nursery  and  its  A-to-Z  lineup  of  potted 
native  plants.  Visitors  will  find  labels  on 
plants  in  many  of  the  gardens  plus  plant 
lists,  book  lists  and  how-to  articles. 

For  a  beginning  list  of  gardens 
featured  on  this  free,  self-guided  tour, 
visit  the  CNPS  Web  site,  www.cnps- 
yerbabuena.org/gardentour.html.  This 
Web  site  will  be  adding  new  sites 
through  April,  so  you  are  welcome  to 
contact  Jeanne  Halpern,  tour  coordina- 
tor, at  841-1254  or  at  jeannehalpern 
@hotmail.com  to  recommend  other 
native  plant  locations  in  San  Fran- 


Bird  &  V# 
Bcckett^4\ 
Books  /A« 
&  Records 

New  -  Used  -  Collectible 


fig 


(415)  586- 17 H 


2788  Diamond  Street 


nt  Chenery  Street 
in  Glen  Park 


Open  9  am  Every  Day 


Offering  Live  Jazz,  Poetry  Readings &More... 

The  Chuck  Peterson  Qiiintet+ 

Every  Friday  -  5:30  to  8  pm. 

The  Henry  Irvin  Trio 

zvith  vocalist  Dorothy  Lefkovits 
First  Sunday  of  Each  Month  -  6  *o  8  pm 


check  our  schedule  &  order  books  at 
bird-beckett.com     -    or  call  586-3733 


Native  plants  shine  in  Glen  Park 


Photo  by  Margo  Bors 


Glen  Park  Featured  in  2006 
Mother's  Day  Garden  Tour 


Glen  Park  News 


Page  14 


Spring  2006 


Destination 


Baking  Company 


Your  neighborhood  destination  for  quality  baked  goods! 


598  Chenery  Street,  San  Francisco,  CA  94131  415.469.0730 
Monday  through  Friday  6:30am  -  6:30pm,  Saturday  and  Sunday  7:00am  -  4:00pm 


Dear  Friends  and  Neighbors: 

My  business  keeps  growing! 

I  appreciate  your  referrals.  Thank  you! 


,        M  Tiffany  Farr 
Sr  JH  realtor 

Bl  415  664-9U75 

415  215-2326  Cell 

PRUDENTIAL  REAL  ESTATE 
677  Portola  Drive 
San  Francisco,  CA  94127 

•  30+  year  Glen  Park  Homeowner 
•  Current  Board  Member  Glen  Park  Assn. 
•  Co-Chair  Glen  Park  Branch  Library 
Capital  Campaign 

Recent  Sales  include:  Inner  Mission  TIC,  represented  Buyer. 
Mission  Terrace  Home,  represented  Seller,  (Sold  over  asking). 
Visitacion  Valley  Home,  represented  Seller,  (Sold  over  asking). 

Let  me  help  you  Buy  or  Sell  your  home  or  investment 
property.  I  am  dedicated  to  serving  my  clients. 


A  MARKET  BY  AUGUST  1? 

CONTINUED  FROM  PAGE  1 

the  Oakville  Grocery  chain  with  stores 
in  the  Napa  Valley,  Healdsburg,  Palo 
Alto  and  San  Francisco,  started  their 
own  food-industry  consulting  business 
in  2000.  It  was  then  that  they  decided 
they  wanted  to  open  their  own  market. 

During  a  year-long  process  of 
crafting  a  business  plan  to  raise  money 
for  their  own  store,  they  were  hired  as 
consultants  for  Bi-Rite  market  on  18th 
Street  in  the  Mission  District.  Their 
relationship  with  Bi-Rite  soon  evolved 
into  a  business  partnership,  and  plans 
began  to  build  another  Bi-Rite  market 
in  Glen  Park.  This  was  well  before  the 
permit  process  had  even  begun  for  the 
former  Diamond  Super  space. 

As  the  Tarlovs  and  the  Bi-Rite 
team  began  to  work  with  the  existing 
developer  on  designs  and  permits  for 
the  store,  the  project  was  sold  to  another 
developer,  Kieran  Buckley.  So  they 
reignited  the  project  with  him.  As  the 
project  progressed,  many  changes  were 
made  to  the  original  market  plan,  which 
in  the  end  did  not  suit  the  owners  of  Bi- 
Rite.  They  pulled  out  but  encouraged 
the  Tarlovs  to  proceed.  Then  began  the 
Tarlovs'  arduous  process  of  obtaining 
financing— a  far  more  difficult  task  for 
two  individuals  without  the  backing  of 
an  existing  grocery  business. 

With  Bi-Rite  out  of  the  picture,  the 
grocery  store  project  became  a  much 
larger  undertaking.  The  Tarlovs  brought 
in  silent  partners  to  help  with  financial 
backing,  but  remain  in  charge  of  day- 
to-day  operations. 

Countless  Complications 

So  why  is  it  taking  so  long  to  build  the 
new  Canyon  Market  and  the  rest  of  the 
mixed-use  development? 

The  scheduled  completion  date  of 
the  building  has  been  delayed  multiple 
times,  pushed  back  by  such  obstacles  as 
uncooperative  weather  and  legal  chal- 
lenges. Now,  according  to  Chris  Foley, 
the  developer's  representative,  construc- 
tion of  the  building  will  be  finished  by 
April  1  this  year.  The  Tarlovs  plan  to 
have  the  market  open  by  August  1 . 

Despite  the  project's  complexity, 
says  Foley,  it  has  been  "a  lot  of  fun." 

Tarlov  describes  the  market  as  "one 
of  the  most  complicated  public  spaces  to 
build  anywhere,"  citing  complexities  of 
health-code  requirements  and  other  per- 
mitting issues.  Because  the  market  will 
involve  both  public  contact  with  food 
items  such  as  an  open  cheese  case,  and 
a  prepared-foods  section  with  a  fully 
functioning  kitchen,  hundreds  of  details 
must  be  worked  out  and  built  to  code: 
things  like  basic  building  infrastruc- 


ture, flooring,  refrigeration,  plumbing, 
kitchen  equipment  requirements,  fire 
codes,  venting,  mechanical  roof  equip- 
ment, signage,  seating,  wheelchair 
access.  "It's  really  just  unimaginable 
how  complicated  this  particular  project 
has  been,"  Tarlov  says. 

The  bottom  line,  simply  put,  is  that 
because  this  mixed-use  project  involves 
three  completely  different  types  of 
property— the  market,  the  library  and 
residences— there  are  a  lot  more  permit- 
ting requirements  for  each  step  of  the 
construction  process. 

Parking  Improvements 

Parking  is  another  issue  that  has  been 
a  huge  challenge  for  the  project.  Each 
new  apartment  will  have  one  assigned 
parking  space,  but  there  won't  be  on-site 
parking  for  market  or  library  patrons. 
City  officials  have  been  working  on 
new  initiatives  they  hope  will  ease  prob- 
lems associated  with  the  lack  of  on-site 
parking.  The  Department  of  Parking 
and  Traffic  will  extend  the  residential 
permit  parking  zone  along  designated 
streets  in  the  area.  DPT  also  plans  new 
parking  meters  on  Bosworth  and  other 
nearby  streets  to  promote  turnover  of 
parking  spaces. 

Meanwhile,  the  waiting  game  con- 
tinues, and  District  8  Supervisor  Bevan 
Dufty  has  been  keeping  a  close  eye  on 
the  project.  He  says  that  even  though  the 
delays  and  complaints  were  completely 
beyond  his  control,  "It  has  been  a  labor 
of  love"  for  most  of  the  people  involved 
and  he  is  very,  pleased  with  the  project 
as  a  whole:  "Get  ready,  it's  going  to  be 
great!" 

The  Tarlovs  are  now  waiting  for 
bids  to  "build  out"  the  grocery  store, 
a  critical  key  "to  the  whole  financial 
puzzle,"  Richard  says.  They  are  also 
setting  up  an  advisory  group  that  will 
consist  of  people  from  Glen  Park  and 
surrounding  neighborhoods  in  hopes  of 
truly  incorporating  the  ideas  and  needs 
of  local  residents.  In  many  respects 
Richard  and  Janet  Tarlov  have  taken 
full  advantage  of  all  the  delays.  They  are 
polishing  up  their  recipe  files,  perfect- 
ing benefits  programs  for  employees, 
fine-tuning  equipment  specifications, 
all  the  while  spending  time  with  their 
two  young  children. 

The  Tarlovs  welcome  questions, 
suggestions  and  feedback  about  their 
new  market,  at  rich@well.com. 

Ashley  Hathaway  is  a  freelance 
writer  and  video/television  pro- 
ducer. She  and  her  husband  moved 
to  Glen  Park  from  the  Inner  Sunset 
last  fall.  She  can  be  reached  at 
ashhath@mindspring.  com. 


Spring  2006 


Page  1 5 


Glen  Park  News 


OHLONE  WAY:  FROM 
EYESORE  TO  ASSET 

CONTINUED  FROM  PAGE  8 

the  carriage  was  parked  at  an  angle 
from  the  narrow  alley.  It  does  have  its 
original  glass  doors,  found  in  the  base- 
ment. A  couple  of  spaces  down  is  yet 
another  carriage  house,  whose  ancient 
gray  wooden  doors  once  served  also  to 
keep  cows  in  the  big  yard. 

Residents  Pitch  In 

I  encouraged  neighbors  to  begin  to  gar- 
nish the  street  — a  tree  here,  some  flow- 
ers there.  It  wasn't  long  before  Ohlone 
Way  began  to  spruce  up,  so  to  speak. 
The  City  Streets  Department  and  even 
a  PG&E  contractor  were  persuaded  to 
contribute  some  paving  and  river  rock 
stones  to  cover  the  muddy  bits.  We 
"discovered"  some  remarkable  exist- 
ing plant  life  and  added  some.  Wild 
roses  and  bougainvillea  now  arch  over 
into  the  Way  from  neighbors'  yards.  On 
the  corner  lot  at  Sussex  towers  a  mas- 
sive, very  old  hemlock  tree,  a  Sierra 
native.  It  and  other  conifers  shelter  the 
upper  north  end,  dry  all  year— hospi- 
table to  cactus,  aloe  and  some  lilies. 
Southward,  ambulators  find  a  vener- 
able walnut,  Monterey  pines,  a  young 
spruce,  elegant  datura  plants,  a  Cali- 
fornia buckeye,  two  avocado  trees,  a 
scraggly  fig,  a  yellow  willow,  a  cork 
live  oak,  red  and  yellow  native  plums, 
and  healthy  rows  of  blackberries  (the 
latter  two  yielding  delectable  summer 
fruits). 

Jill  Potter,  a  gardener  on  Ohlone 
Way,  took  it  upon  herself  to  add  abun- 
dant flowering  shrubs,  vines,  grass 
and  care.  Wise  neighbors  have  added 
to  what  became  in  2004,  in  replica  at 
the  Cow  Palace  Home  and  Garden 
Show  of  2004,  a  gold  medal  winner: 
The  Extreme  Eclectic  Garden.  Real- 
tors' flyers  now  refer  to  Ohlone  Way 
as  the  "lane,"  a  property  enhance- 
ment; visitors  have  been  known  to 
walk  themselves  and  their  dogs  here, 
remarking  on  "this  little  paradise," 
welcome  compliments  to  Glen  Park. 

In  addition  to  Ohlone,  Glen  Park  's 
ways  include  Penny  Lane  and  Poppy 
Lane  off  Diamond  Street. 


Dolan  Eargle  writes  neighborhood 
observations  for  the  Glen  Park  News. 
He  is  happy  to  update  one  of  his  col- 
umns from  last  year:  "Our  mockingbird 
came  back  February  18,  with  songs  in 
his  heart. " 


Classifieds 

Computer  repairs,  mainte- 
nance, user  education  (tutor- 
ing) and  migration  (switching 
ISPs).  Hardware  and  software: 
installation,  configuration,  and 
upgrades.  Broadband  installation, 
and  network  (wired  and  wireless) 
setup.  Virus,  Trojan,  and  spyware 
removal  (Flat  rate— guaranteed). 
Website  editing.  Competitive 
rates,  house  calls,  small  to  large 
jobs  and  can  work  with  non-tech- 
nical individuals.  References. 
John  415-586-2333 

End  Homework  Hassles 

Family  time's  better  spent! 
www.mystudybuddy.org 
Jane  Radcliffe  415-586-4577. 

Charlie  the  Phone  Guy 

Residence/ Business/ ho  me 
office  phone  wiring.  FAX/ 
Modem/DSL.  Dead  jacks  made 
live!  Remodel  Planning.  Free 
estimates.  On-time  appoint- 
ments. 20  years  experience.  641- 
8654,  charlie@sfphoneguy.com. 

August  Moon  Massage 

Jana  Hutcheson.  Swedish,  Shi- 
atsu, LomiLomi,  Deep  Tissue, 
Sports  Massage.  Office  space 
on  Diamond  Street  and  house 
calls  available.  Gift  certificates. 
$70/hour.  Author  of  Healing 
Alternatives.  Call  415-647-7517 
for  appt.  today. 

Stereo  Repair  House  Calls/ 
Home  Theater  Setup 

Here's  a  service  that's  very 
convenient  at  a  reasonable 
price.  Gene's  Sound  Service 
offers  personalized  in-home 
repair  of  stereo  components; 
and  installation  of  audio,  video, 
and  home  theater  systems  with 
day,  evening  and  Saturday 
appointments  available.  Serving 
S.  F.  and  Bay  Area  since  1983. 
"Gene's  honest  and  knows  his 
stuff.  Give  him  a  try,"  says  Bobby 
McFerrin.  Gene's  Sound  Service. 
415-377-1258. 

Pet  Grooming 

Pet  Grooming  at  Critter  Fritters. 
Dogs  &  Cats  by  appointment 
only.  Pam  Hoffman  415-377- 
2190. 


VINCE& 


SUZANNE 


PROFESSIONAL  REAL  ESTATE  EXPERIENCE  COMBINED 


ALLEY  SOLD  ($!.OM)  NOE  VALLEY,  SOLD  ($1.3M) 


Vince  and  Suzanne,  both  involved  members  of  your  community 
and  committed  lo  excellence,  are  the  professional  real  estate 
team  you  shouldn't  oe  without  when  buying  or  selling  a  home. 

Vince  Beaudet  lives,  works  and  volunteers  in  Glen  Park,  is  a 
member  of  the  SF  Association  of  REALTORS,  Small  Property 
Owners  of  SF,  the  California  Association  of  REALTORS,  and  is 
following  in  his  father's  footsteps  as  a  real  estate  professional. 

Suzanne  Boyle  is  a  native  San  Franciscan  whose  father  was  a 
realtor  in  the  City  for  40  years!  She  is  a  Broker  Associate  and 
Top  Producer  who  lives,  works  and  plays  in  the  Castro. 

||A|v)|»l|||i||     PUT  THEIR  EXPERIENCE  TO  WORK  FOR  YOU! 

52&:EAT1  (415)861-5222  X333 

wwwhei  Ifvcom 


Glen  Park  News 


Page  16 


Spring  2006 


SOTA:  A  Regional  Arts- 
Education  Gem  Right 
in  the  Neighborhood 


Photo  courtesy  of  the  Bandar  family 


Ray  Bandar  Grew  Up  in  Park 


As  adults,  we  tend  to  see  San  Francisco 
as  a  city  of  streets  and  buildings.  But 
for  children,  especially  children  back  in 
the  days  when  they  could  roam  freely, 
the  city  was  equally 
.  a  wild  space.  And  for 

Jane      a       ^orn  m  'n 

Radcliffe    San  Francisco' the  city 
itself  was  a  doorway  to 

the  wonders  of  the  natu- 
ral world.  That  was  the  case  for  Ray 
Bandar,  a  long-time  field  associate  at 
the  California  Academy  of  Sciences 
who  has  enriched  its  collections  since 
the  1930s.  For  Bandar,  the  city  was  his 
playground  and  Glen  Park  an  important 
part  of  its  wildscape. 

"I  grew  up  with  the  de  Young, 
the  Steinhart  Aquarium,  the  Califor- 
nia Academy  of  Sciences,  Children's 
Playground,  all  of  Golden  Gate  Park 
and  Glen  Canyon,"  he  says.  "I  used  to 
bike  down  to  body  surf  at  Kelly  Cove  at 
the  north  end  of  Ocean  Beach.  I  swam 
at  Sutro  Baths  and  Fleishacker  Pool." 

Bandar  went  to  Frank  McCoppin 
Elementary  School,  then  Roosevelt 
Junior  High.  After  school  he'd  go  to 
Glen  Canyon  and  explore  for  small 
reptiles  and  amphibians.  He  remembers 


that  some  of  the  things  he'd  find  were 
garter  snakes,  alligator  lizards,  fence 
lizards,  arboreal  and  slender  salaman- 
ders and  tree  frogs— the  last  are  about 
an  inch  long,  and  the  disks  on  their 
toes  allow  them  to  climb  straight  up  or 
down.  Some  of  the  local  amphibians 
he  collected  as  a  boy  were  donated  to 
the  Steinhart  Aquarium  and  a  plaque 
there  in  the  swamp  area  bore  his  name. 
Bandar's  nickname  among  the  kids  was 
Reptile  Boy. 

When  he  went  to  George  Washing- 
ton High  School,  Bandar  was  strongly 
encouraged  as  a  biology  student.  He 
brought  in  the  creatures  he  found  and 
later  released  them  back  where  he'd 
caught  them.  There  was  also  time  on 
Saturdays  for  art  classes  at  the  Califor- 
nia School  of  Fine  Arts  and  art  scholar- 
ships there.  In  the  early  1940s,  he  spent 
Saturday  mornings  making  puppets  and 
participating  in  puppet  shows  at  the  de 
Young  Museum. 

He  loved  the  natural  world  for  its 
beautiful  as  well  as  its  diversity.  The 
Glen  Canyon  he  remembers  from  his 
boyhood  explorations  was  mostly 
grassy,  and  very  dry  in  summer,  espe- 
cially on  the  east  side.  Where  the  School 


School  of  the  Arts  (SOTA).  San 
Francisco's  acclaimed 
public  arts  high  school, 
offers  young  artists  an 
intensive  education  in 

Grannan 


by 
Caroline 


their  fields  while  also 
providing  high-quality 
student  entertainment  in 
Glen  Park's  backyard  (see  Community 
Calendar). 

SOTA  is  located  at  the  former 
McAteer  High  School  site,  at  Portola 
and  O'Shaughnessy.  Long-term  plans 
are  to  move  to  a  historic  school  district 
building  near  the  symphony,  ballet, 
opera  and  museums,  after  a  major 
renovation.  But  that  requires  a  capital 
campaign,  which  is  in  the  planning 
stages,  and  SOTA  will  be  at  its  current 
location  for  several  years. 

The  school  admits  students  by  audi- 
tion or  judging  in  their  specific  artistic 
discipline.  SOTA  was  conceived  in  the 
1980s  as  a  regional  arts  high  school, 
and  admits  a  percentage  of  students 


who  live  outside  the  city,  as  well  as 
from  San  Francisco  public  and  private 
schools.  It  is  a  prestigious  destination 
school  even  in  high-income  Bay  Area 
suburbs  for  students  who  are  able  to 
pass  the  auditions. 

The  school  offers  top-quality 
instruction  in  instrumental  music,  vocal, 
visual  arts,  theater  arts,  creative  writing, 
dance,  theater  technology,  piano  and 
media  arts.  Students  study  academic 
subjects  in  the  morning  and  focus  on 
their  arts  discipline  in  the  afternoon. 

This  year,  a  second,  small  public- 
high  school  opened  on  the  McAteer 
campus.  The  new  Academy  of  Arts  & 
Sciences  focuses  on  graphic  arts  and 
technology.  The  Academy  opened  with 
about  80  ninth-grade  students  and  will 
expand  year  by  year  to  12  grades. 

SOTA's  high-quality  performances 
are  open  to  the  public,  and  some  sell  out 
in  advance.  Ticket  prices  vary  (but  are  rea- 
sonable). For  tickets  and  information  visit 
www.sfsota-ptsa.org  or  call  695-5720. 


of  the  Arts  now  stands  there  was  a  golf 
driving  range.  There  were  often  horses 
grazing  on  the  hillside.  Along  the  creek 
there  were  trees.  Usually  hawks  were 
flying  overhead,  sparrow  hawks  and 
red-tails.  It  was  a  quiet  place. 

In  1945,  with  World  War  II  still 
raging,  Bandar  graduated  at  the  age  of 
17  and  enrolled  in  City  College.  Soon 
he  turned  18,  which  made  him  eligible 
for  the  draft.  The  Army  allowed  him  to 
finish  the  semester  and  by  then  the  war 
had  ended.  He  was  sent  first  to  Ft.  Lewis 
in  western  Washington  State,  where  he 
could  explore  beautiful  rainforest  coun- 
try when  he  was  off  duty.  From  there  he 
went  to  Ft.  Ord,  then  served  as  coxswain 
on  two  landing  craft  in  Morro  Bay.  Off 
duty  he  got  to  know  the  central  coast 
beaches  and  the  wildlife  that  frequented 
them.  He  feels  he  was  pretty  lucky. 

Out  of  the  Army  and  on  the  GI 
Bill,  Bandar  enrolled  in  the  Academy 
of  Advertising  Art  (now  Academy  of 
Art  University);  he  transferred  to  the 
California  College  of  Arts  and  Crafts 
to  study  drawing,  painting  and  lithogra- 
phy. His  lithographs  have  earned  a  good 
deal  of  recognition  but  he  has  no  plans 
to  show  them;  he  says  his  wife  Alkmene 
is  the  successful  artist  in  the  family. 

Still  needing. a  day  job.  Bandar 
worked  in  construction.  Urged  by  his 


parents  to  find  something  permanent, 
he  decided  on  biology  set  about  earn- 
ing a  teaching  credential  from  San 
Francisco  State.  While  he  was  still  a 
graduate  student,  there  was  an  opening 
at  the  California  Academy  of  Sciences 
for  someone  to  supervise  teenagers  in 
after-school  and  weekend  classes  and 
on  field  trips. 

After  college  he  took  a  job  at  Fre- 
mont High  School,  where  for  32  years 
he  taught  human  anatomy,  physiology 
and  biology.  The  Academy  of  Sciences 
kept  him  on  as  a  field  associate  (his 
present  title  there),  paying  expenses  on 
many  trips  to  collect  specimens  for  the 
departments  of  Invertebrates  Zoology, 
Ornithology/Mammology,  Herpetol- 
ogy  and  Entomology.  A  new  species  of 
insect  he  collected  on  an  island  in  the 
Sea  of  Cortez  is  named  after  him. 

In  Spring  2002.  California  Wild 
magazine  devoted  space  to  Bandar's 
volunteer  work  responding  to  calls 
both  from  the  Marine  Mammal  Strand- 
ing Network  and  the  National  Park 
Service.  Said  the  editor,  "Ray  'Bones' 
Bandar,  an  associate  of  the  California 
Academy  of  Sciences,  has  spent  his  life 
gathering  skulls  and  has  accumulated 
what  must  be  among  the  largest  col- 
lection in  the  world,  without  spending 

CONTINUED  ON  NEXT  PAGE 


Spring  2006 


Page  1 7 


Glen  Park  News 


Welcome  Home  banner  spans  Chenery  Street 

Glen  Park  Resident 
Home  at  Last 


Photo  by  Phil  Limric 


by 
Elizabeth 
Weise 


Neighborhood  residents  who  found 
themselves  on  the  700  block  of  Chen- 
ery Street  around  January  22  had  cause 
to  wonder  just  who  Kincy  Clark  might 
be,  and  where  he'd  been. 

That's  because  the  neighbors  had 
banded  together  to  deck 
the  entire  block  in  yel- 
low ribbons  and  a  ban- 
ner to  welcome  home 
someone  who'd  barely 
gotten  to  live  in  Glen 
Park  at  all. 
Kincy  Clark,  a  high-tech  worker  and 
Watsonville  native,  had  just  bought  a 
house  on  Chenery  with  his  wife  Grace 
and  their  one-year-old  daughter  when 
he  was  notified  that  his  Army  National 
Guard  unit  was  being  called  up  for  an 
1 8-month  tour  of  duty. 

The  couple  barely  had  time  to  move 
in  before  Clark  was  deployed  with  the 
l  - 1 84  Infantry  Battalion  to  Iraq  in  2004, 
as  commander  of  an  infantry  company 
based  in  Dublin  in  the  East  Bay. 

He  departed  that  August  and  spent 
six  months  training  in  Texas,  with  a  brief 
visit  home  for  the  birth  of  the  couple's 
son  in  November  and  then  a  two-week 
leave  at  Christmas  just  before  heading 
to  Iraq. 

Clark  was  initially  stationed  in  the 
International  Zone  (formerly  known 
as  the  Green  Zone)  in  Baghdad.  His 
company  was  responsible  for  security. 


entry  control  and  patrol  of  the  area  in 
and  around  the  International  Zone.  Later 
he  was  stationed  at  Camp  Victory  near 
the  Baghdad  International  Airport. 

During  his  absence,  many  in  the 
neighborhood  got  to  know  Grace  well, 
as  she  went  about  her  daily  tasks  with 
two-year-old  Vittoria  in  a  stroller  and 
baby  Sanders  in  a  backpack.  Deter- 
mined to  use  as  little  gasoline  as  pos- 
sible for  environmental  reasons,  Grace 
walks  almost  everywhere,  including  up 
to  Safeway  on  Diamond  Heights,  with 
both  children  in  tow. 

Clark  described  his  return  this  year 
as  "pretty  anti-climatic,  compared  to 
some  of  the  more  hectic  greetings  others 
have  received.  My  wife  and  I  bundled 
into  a  cab  from  SFO  and  blearily  walked 
up  the  stairs  to  be  greeted  by  two  wail- 
ing kids  (ours)  and  a  nervously  smiling 
aunt  who  had  been  watching  them. 
But  no  matter,  it  was  great  to  be  home 
again." 

The  next  morning,  however,  he  said 
"the  greeting-level  picked  up  a  notch" 
when  he  caught  sight  of  the  ribbons  and 
banner. 

That  and  a  welcome-home  party 
at  the  Rec  Center  in  the  park  in  Feb- 
ruary—where over  100  friends  and 
relatives  welcomed  him  back  to  civil- 
ian life  — have  help  eased  the  transition, 
which  Clark  says  was  painless  and  is 
now  "totally  complete." 


BANDAR 

CONTINUED  FROM  PREVIOUS  PAGE 

a  cent  on  commercial  acquisitions.  He 
heard  his  calling  over  50  years  ago  . . . 
Many  of  his  finds  are  featured  in  a  cur- 
rent exhibit  at  the  Academy." 

The  skulls  exhibit  still  has  a  large 
presence  on  the  Academy's  Web  site, 
www.calacademy.org/exhibits/skulls. 


In  many  ways  our  city  today  is  very 
different  form  the  one  Ray  grew  up  in. 
yet  maybe,  in  a  city  that  cares  for  its  wild- 
life, a  boy  can  still  go  far;  let's  hope  so. 

Jane  Radcliffe  is  a  retired  college 
teacher  who  has  lived  in  Glen  Park 
since  J 970.  She  interviewed  Ray  Bandar 
in  his  Miraloma  Park  home. 


Glen  Park  News  asks: 
What  kind  of  business 
would  you  like  to  see  in 
the  old  Dr.  Video  Space? 


With  the  closing  of  the  Dr.  Video  store 
at  28 10  Diamond  St.  last 
year.  Glen  Park's  busi- 
ness district  now  has 
one  more  empty  store- 
front. We  asked  some 
local  residents  what 
they'd  most  like  to  see  in  that  space. 


by 
Amy 
Traverso 


"Well,  we  want  a  grocery  store,  but 
that's  coming.  Actually,  is  it  coming? 
Other  than  that,  a  really  good  sand- 
wich shop,  or  another  good,  casual 
restaurant." 

-Sarah  Fuchs  and  Dan  Moskowitz, 
Chenery  Street 


"Another  video  store  wouldn't  be  so 
bad,  actually.  Something  small  and 
independent.  Or  maybe  a  little  diner. 
Actually,  I  think  it  would  be  really  cool 
if  it  could  be  a  small  movie  theater." 
-Nate  Choisser,  Monterey  Boulevard 


Candi:  "I'd  like  to  see  more  restaurants. 
A  sit-down  place." 

Matt:  "But  what  this  place  really  needs 
is  a  grocery  store.  A  Tesco.  It's  a  U.K. 
grocery  store  chain  that  serves  urban 
areas  really  well.  They're  expanding 
to  the  West  Coast  in  2007  " 


Candi:  "Anything  but  a  dollar  store." 
-Candi  Strecker  and  Matt  Householder. 
Excelsior 


"I'd  just  like  to  see  another  Dr.  Video. 
They  were  nice  people.  I  liked  them  a 
lot." 

-Greg  Adams,  Foerster  Street 


■  - 1 

L  J  ■ 


Debra:  "What  about  a  gift  boutique?  Or 
a  card  shop." 

Robert:  "Or  a  florist.  Yeah,  that'd  be 

nice." 

Debra:  "Some  place  that  sells  statio- 
nery." 

Robert:  "Yeah,  a  card  and  florist 

shop." 

-Robert  Sissac  and  friend  Debra  (not 
pictured),  Chenery  Street 


"You  know  what  they  need?  A  Star- 
bucks. I'm  not  kidding.  It's  fast  and 
they  stay  open  late.  Here,  they  close  at 
six.  I  get  out  of  work  at  seven  and  I  can't 
get  any  coffee." 

-Antonio  Jerez,  Critter  Fritters 


Glen  Park  News 


Page  18 


Spring  2006 


Glen  Park  Crime  Reports 


The  Police  Department's  Ingleside 
Station  sends  daily  e-mail  reports  of 
incidents  within  their  district,  which 
includes  Glen  Park.  To  receive  these 
reports,  e-mail  a  request  to  Paul_ 
Chignell@ci.sf.ca.us. 

Crimes  in  our  neighborhood  are  low 
compared  with  other  areas  covered  by 
Ingleside  officers,  who  also  protect 
the  outer  Mission  and  the  Sunnydale 
and  Alemany  housing 
by        projects,  among  other 
Denis      neighborhoods.  But 
Wade      we  Degan  2006  with  an 
uncharacteristic  pair  of 
knife-point  robberies  on 
Chenery  Street.  The  first  occurred  at  9 
pm  Wednesday,  January  11  at  the  cor- 
ner of  Diamond  Street.  The  following 
Sunday  at  7: 1 5  pm,  patrons  in  the  laun- 
dromat up  the  street  near  Castro  were 
robbed.  Officer  Mike  Walsh  checked  the 
reports  and  said  these  robberies  appear 
to  be  connected.  While  the  suspects' 
descriptions  varied  slightly,  both  wore 
a  parka  with  a  fur-trimmed  hood.  A  sec- 
ond suspect  joined  in  the  first  robbery. 

There  was  also  an  8  pm  strong-arm 
robbery  by  three  suspects  on  Friday 
the  13th  on  Chenery  north  of  Fair- 
mount  Street.  On  Wednesday  January 
18  a  purse  snatch  was  reported  at  10: 
25  am.  On  March  1 ,  shortly  after  9  pm, 
three  thugs  accosted  a  man  working  on 
a  laptop  in  his  car  at  Wilder  and  Arling- 
ton, beat  him  on  the  head  and  stole  the 
computer. 

Not  all  the  robbers  get  away.  Just 
after  midnight  on  Saturday  February 
1 1 ,  two  suspects  standing  next  to  a  van 
approached  a  victim  walking  at  Chen- 
ery and  Natick.  One  took  out  a  silver 
handgun,  pointed  it  at  the  victim's  head, 
muttered  an  obscenity  and  demanded 
the  victim's  Ipod.  The  victim  gave  the 
suspect  his  Ipod,  a  Palm  Pilot,  back- 
pack, digital  camera,  money  and  other 
items.  The  suspect  and  five  others  fled 
in  the  van.  A  description  was  broadcast 
and  SFPD  Crime  Prevention  officers 
quickly  located  the  van  and  the  suspects 
on  Ellsworth  Street.  Ingleside  officers 
responded,  searched  the  van  and  found 
the  silver  handgun  under  the  passenger 
seat.  The  victim's  property  was  also  in 
the  van  and  the  victim  identified  the  van 
and  suspects.  Two  suspects  were  booked 
for  robbery  and  one  for  receiving  sto- 
len property.  As  Ingleside's  command- 
ing officer  noted,  this  was  outstanding 
police  work. 

In  the  first  two  months  of  the  year 
burglaries  were  reported  on  the  3000 
block  of  Castro  (computer),  the  10  block 
of  Sussex  (jewelry),  the  2600  block  of 


Diamond  (construction  tools),  the  100 
block  of  Miguel  (computer).  Another 
computer  was  stolen  in  a  burglary  at 
Fairmount  Elementary  school.  There 
were  other  random  thefts. 

Some  crimes  may  have  been 
stopped  before  they  occurred.  At  8:43 
pm  February  6,  alert  Officers  Andrea 
Calahane  and  Edward  To  stopped  five 
suspicious  persons  at  Arlington  and 
Miguel.  One,  from  Vallejo,  was  cited 
on  a  narcotics  charge. 

Glen  Park  had  a  drive-by  shooting 
on  the  300  block  of  Arlington  Street  at 
1 1  pm  Saturday  February  1 8  when  shots 
were  fired  at  two  victims  from  passing 
cars.  Nobody  was  hit.  The  SFPD  Gang 
Task  Force  is  investigating  this  crime, 
which  officers  said  may  be  related  to  a 
previous  shooting. 

Following  numerous  community 
complaints,  five  Ingleside  officers  and 
Sgt.  John  Burke  were  back  at  Arlington 
Street  in  the  early  hours  of  March  1 ,  on 
foot  patrol  on  the  200  and  300  blocks 
and  on  both  sides  of  San  Jose  Avenue 
between  Highland  and  Miguel.  They 
dispersed  two  homeless  encampments 
and  cited  four  suspects  for  Park  Code 
violations. 


Safer  Streets: 
A  January 
2006  Report 

The  highest  priority  for  the  officers 
assigned  to  Ingleside  Station  is  to 
prevent  violent  crime  and  aggressively 
deal  with  violent  offenders,  the  latter 
by  bringing  those  offenders  into  the 
criminal  justice  system. 

The  next  highest  priority  is  pedes- 
trian and  vehicular  safety.  To  that  end, 
the  management  and  supervisory  per- 
sonnel at  Ingleside  Sta- 
by        tion  have  encouraged  all 
Captain     officers  to  issue  more 
Paul  C      moving  traffic  viola- 
Chignell     ilons-  Our  results  are 
striking:  In  December 
2004  we  wrote  483  moving  violations 
and  in  December  2005,  960.  That  is  a 
99  percent  increase,  the  highest  of  any 
of  the  city's  10  district  stations,  by  far. 
We- are  very  proud  of  our  officers. 


Capt.  ChigneJl  is  commanding  officer 
of  the  Ingleside  Police  Station,  whose 
district  includes  Glen  Park. 


Tree  wreaks  havoc 


Photo  by  Michael  Waldstein 


A  Tree  Falls  in  Glen  Park 


Robert  Quinn  is  a  very,  very  early  riser. 

That's  why  he's  alive  today. 

On  New  Year  's  Eve  morning,  Quinn, 

a  resident  of  Beacon  Street,  braved  the 

pounding  rain  and  howling  winds  and 

went  out  for  his  usual 

,  5  a.m.  breakfast,  mak- 
by 

Bonnee  stoPs  m  Diamond 

»a#  i-i  *  Heights  and  Eureka  Val- 

Waldstein  ,    *   .IC  ... 

ley.  At  6: 15  a.m.,  while 
it  was  still  dark  outside, 
a  neighbor  reached  him 
on  his  cell  phone,  asking,  "Are  you 
OK?"  Quinn,  perplexed,  answered, 
"Yeah,  I'm  fine.  Why?"  Because,  his 
neighbor  told  him,  "I  can't  see,  but  I 
think  a  tree  fell  on  your  house." 

Quinn  rushed  home  and  found  water 
everywhere  — and  a  large  Monterey 
cypress  that  had  uprooted,  smacked  into 
his  roof  and  fallen  into  his  bedroom  and 
a  large  adjoining  closet.  The  top  of  the 
tree  had  snapped  off  into  his  front  yard 
and  the  large  trunk  shattered  the  picture 
window  of  the  living  room  and  the  wall 
mirrors  inside,  spraying  the  room  with 
broken  glass. 

In  the  process  it  also  took  out 


four  pittosporum  trees  and  another 
large  Monterey  cypress,  whose  brush 
pile  fell  onto  Beacon  Street,  blocking 
three-quarters  of  the  road.  Those  trees 
were  a  major  reason  he  purchased  the 
property. 

A  Monterey  cypress  spreads  with 
age  and  typically  grows  to  around  40 
feet  in  height,  but  may  reach  70  to  90 
feet.  The  "gentle  giants,"  as  the  trees 
are  thought  of  by  neighbors,  are  well 
loved  by  Quinn  and  other  residents  in 
the  area. 

Now  Quinn,  a  52-year-old  real 
estate  investor  who  moved  into  his 
Glen  Park  home  just  under  two  years 
ago,  is  working  to  repair  his  property. 
As  to  the  cost  estimate  of  the  repairs, 
Quinn  doesn't  really  know,  other  than 
it  will  be  ongoing,  and  huge.  But  the 
New  Orleans  native,  who  returned  to 
his  hometown  for  Thanksgiving  after 
Katrina  hit,  came  back  to  San  Francisco 
with  a  newfound  strength  to  cope  with 
his  ordeal  here. 

"If  they  can  deal  with  what  they've 
had  to  go  through,"  he  said,  "I  guess  I 
can  too." 


Spring  2006 


Page  19 


Glen  Park  News 


Howard  Reinstein 

EXPERIENCE  MAKES 
THE  DIFFERENCE! 

Call  (415)664-9175  ext.252 

Howard  Reinstein  is  the  #1  Glen  Park  Agent  Out 
of  4,000  Agents!  i  Top  Producer  i  Prudential  was 
the  #1  Real  Estate  Company  for  Glen  Park  in  2005 


Earth  Day  Events  in  the  Park 


On  Earth  Day  weekend,  this  April 
22-23,  you  can  experi- 
by         ence  a  unique  approach 
Jesse      to  bioregional  educa- 
Walters     tion  in  a  10,000-year- 
old  wild  setting  — Glen 
Park  Canyon. 
Join  others  from  around  the  Bay 
Area  and  hike  through  this  place  you 
may  have  enjoyed  before,  and  learn  all 
about  the  natural  features  that  underlie 
the  surrounding  neighborhood.  You'll 
be  able  to  make  maps  of  where  you  life 
and  participate  in  hands-on  ecosystem 
restoration  work  promoting  native  spe- 
cies in  the  park. 

This  two-day  session  is  the  creation 
of  Planet  Drum  Foundation  founder  and 
director  Peter  Berg.  The  workshop  will 
be  co-hosted  by  environmental  educator 


Paul  Belz.  Planet  Drum  has  been  at  the 
forefront  of  ecology  education  from  its 
Noe  Valley  office  for  over  30  years.  The 
nonprofit  foundation  runs  education  and 
sustainability  programs  here  in  the  Bay 
Area  and  worldwide. 

Berg  is  credited  with  defining  the 
term  "bioregion,"  an  essential  part  of 
the  planetary  web  of  life,  defined  by  the 
climate,  weather,  landforms,  watershed, 
predominant  geological  and  soil  condi- 
tions, native  plants  and  animals.  Each 
of  us  lives  in  a  "bioregion."  Glen  Can- 
yon Park  is  a  magical  reminder  of  San 
Francisco's  own  bioregion. 

You  can  contact  Planet  Drum 
Foundation  regarding  the  April  Bio- 
regional Education  Program  in  Glen 
Canyon  Park  at  285-6556  or  by  e-mail 
at  mail@planetdrum.org. 


Snow  In  Glen  Park?  On  March  10  a  rare  sea  level  snow  and  hail  storm  raced 
through  San  Francisco,  dumping  enough  white,  frozen  water  to  make  decent  if 
small,  snow  men  and  excellent  snowballs.  Glen  Park's  dusting  of  the  hail/snow 
combo  lasted  less  than  an  hour  before  rain  washed  It  away,  but  it  delighted  resi- 
dents during  its  brief  appearance.  Top  photo:  Ashley  Hathaway,  bottom  photo- 
Michael  Waldstein. 


"We  had  a  lot  of  things  to  do  in  a  very  short  time. 
Howard  really  delivered!  He  was  able  to  get 
everything  ready  and  sell  the  home  for  the  price 
we  needed  in  a  changing  market.  We  would 
recommend  him  to  all  Glen  Park  homeowners." 

-TIM  &  KATHY  CURRY.  November  2005 


#1  Glen  Park  Agent 
&  2005  Top  Producer 

Prudential  President's  Circle  Award 
Winner  for  Five  Straight  Years  :  Featured 
in  The  Wall  Street  Journal  :  In  the  Top 
2%,  Nationally  :  Partner,  Chenery  Park 
Restaurant  :  Chairman  of  Sponsor 
Development,  the  Glen  Park  Festival 

Get  up-to-date  pricing  on  Glen  Park  home  sales 

at  www.glenparkneighbors.com 


Glen  Park  News 


Page  20 


Spring  2006 


Community  Calendar 


Glen  Park  Association 

Quarterly  meetings  are  held  on  the 
second  Tuesday  in  January,  April,  July 
and  October  at  7:30  pm.  Everyone  is 
welcome,  members  and  non-members 
alike. 

Next  meeting:  Tue.  Apr.  11,  7:30 
pm.,  St.  John's  School,  925  Chenery 
St.  Parking  is  available  in  the  school's 
fenced  lot. 

Friends  of  Glen  Canyon  Park 

Meetings  and  Plant  Restoration 
Work  Parties:  Third  Saturday  of  each 
month,  9  am-noon.  Next  dates:  Mar.  18, 
Apr.  15  and  May.  20.  Meet  behind  the 
Rec  Center.  Tools,  gloves  and  instruc- 
tion are  provided. 

Weekly  Work  Parties:  Every 
Wednesday,  9  am-noon.  For  the  current 
week's  meeting  place  contact  Richard 
Craib,  648-0862. 

Annual  Earth  Day  Plant  Resto- 
ration Work  Party  &  Barbecue:  Apr. 
15,  9  am;  after  the  work  party  enjoy  a 
barbecue  lunch  of  hot  dogs,  potato  salad 
and  soft  drinks,  free. 

Bird  Walk:  Sat.  Mar.  25,  9  am,  led 
by  David  Armstrong,  free. 

Pancakes  in  the  Park:  Sat.  Mar 
25,  10:30  am  following  the  Bird  Walk. 
A  pancake  breakfast  with  bacon,  orange 
juice,  coffee  and  tea  at  the  Silvertree 
picnic  tables.  Please  RSVP  to  Richard 
Craib  at  648-0862.  $5  suggested  dona- 
tion for  breakfast. 

Native  Plant  Walk:  Sat  Apr.  1, 
10  am,  led  by  author  and  native  plant 
garden  designer  Glenn  Keator.  Meet 
behind  the  Rec  Center,  free. 

Spiderman  Returns:  Sun.  Apr.  2, 
10  am,  a  free  insect  walk  in  Glen  Can- 
yon led  by  entomology  expert  Darrel 
Ubick.  Meet  behind  the  Rec  Center. 

To  join  Friends,  or  for  more  infor- 
mation about  their  activities,  contact 
Richard  Craib  at  648-0862  or  Jean 
Conner  at  584-8576.  For  more  infor- 
mation about  the  two  special  April 
guided  walks,  see  "Botany  and  Bugs" 
on  page  7. 

Earth  Day  Weekend 

Bioregional  Education  Program: 

Sat.  &  Sun.  Apr.  22-23,  workshops  & 
hikes  in  the  Canyon,  hands-on  eco- 
system restoration  promoting  native 
species.  Organized  by  Planet  Drum 
Foundation;  call  285-6556  for  details. 
See  story  on  page  19. 

Glen  Park  Advisory  Board 

The  Advisory  Board  works  hand 
in  hand  with  the  Recreation  and  Park 


Department  to  make  our  park  the  best 
in  the  city.  If  you  care  about  what's  hap- 
pening in  Glen  Canyon  Park,  you  should 
attend  their  meetings  and  join  in  the 
dialog  with  other  interested  neighbors. 
Those  who  can't  make  the  meetings 
can  send  concerns  or  suggestions  to,  or 
request  information  from,  Miriam  Moss 
at  moss3x@earthlink.net. 

Family  Fun  Fest:  Sat  May  13, 
1 1  am-3  pm  on  the  lawn  near  the  Rec 
Center.  Free,  with  entertainment,  games, 
food,  entertainment,  annual  raffle  to 
raise  funds  for  kids'  activities  in  the 
park.  For  more  information  or  to  help, 
see  story  on  page  9. 

Mother's  Day  Garden  Tour 

Sun.  May  14,  10  am-2  pm.  Free  self- 
guided  native-plant  tour  of  unique  gar- 
dens, many  near  Glen  Park,  organized 
by  California  Native  Plant  Society's 
Yerba  Buena  Chapter.  See  story  on 
page '13. 

SFPD  Community  Forums 

Third  Tuesday  of  each  month,  7 
pm:  All  residents  are  encouraged  to 
participate  in  the  informative  monthly 
Community  Relations  Forum  at  SFPD's 
Ingleside  Police  Station,  hosted  by  Cap- 
tain Paul  Chignell.  There  are  refresh- 
ments, guest  speakers,  and  the  oppor- 
tunity to  ask  questions  and  air  your 
concerns.  Drop  in  and  get  acquainted 
with  some  of  the  dedicated  people 
whose  job  is  keeping  our  neighbor- 
hood safe.  The  main  station  number  is 
404-4000,  or  e-mail  Captain  Chignell  at 
Paul_Chignell@ci.sf.ca.us. 

Next  dates:  Mar.  15,  Apr.  18,  May 

16. 

Steve  Choisser  Memorial 

Sun.  Mar.  19,  4:30  pm,  Bird  & 
Beckett,  2788  Diamond  St.:  A  celebra- 
tion of  the  life  of  neighbor,  bibliophile 
and  bookstore  employee  Steve.  See 
story  on  page  5. 

School  of  the  Arts 

Student  performances  at  SOTA,  the 
public  arts  high  school  at  the  former 
McAteer  HS  campus,  O'Shaughnessy 
and  Portola  Drive,  are  open  to  the  public 
at  reasonable  ticket  prices.  Free  parking. 
Some  performances  sell  out  in  advance. 
For  tickets,  information  and  complete 
schedule:  www.sfsota-ptsa.org  or  695- 
5720.  For  more  details  about  this  unique 
school,  see  story  on  page  16. 
Coming  Event  Highlights: 

Fri.  Mar.  17,  7:30  pm:  Concerto 
concert 


Sat.  Mar.  18,  7:30  pm:  Wind 
Ensemble  concert 

Thu.  Mar.  23,  5:30  pm:  Freshman 
art  show. 

Fri.  &  Sat.  Mar.  24  &  25,  7:30  pm 
and  Sun.  Mar.  26,  2:30  pm:  Story  The- 
atre. 

Wed.  &  Fri.,  Apr.  5  &  7,  noon: 
Chamber  music. 

Thu.  Apr.  20,  5:30  pm:  Junior  art 
show. 

Fri.  &  Sat.  Apr.  28  &  29,  7:30 
pm  and  Sun.  Apr.  30,  2:30  pm:  "Two 
Gentlewomen  of  Verona." 

Fri.  May  12,  7:30  pm:  Band  con- 
cert 

Sat.  May  13,  7:30  pm:  Orchestra 
and  wind  ensemble  concert 

Tue.  May  23,  7:30  pm:  Jazz  con- 
cert 

Light  Yoga  Classes 

Tuesdays  and  Thursdays,  6:15- 
7:15  pm:  Light  Yoga  classes  at  the 
Glen  Park  Rec  Center  auditorium  are 
an  easy  way  to  begin  or  continue  the 
study  of  the  Iyengar  method  of  Hatha 
Yoga.  Basic  poses  are  taught  and  modi- 
fied to  suit  your  physical  requirements. 
This  is  a  free  community  service  (some 
leave  gratuities).  Wear  comfortable 
pants  and  top.  Yoga  mats  and  blankets 
are  available.  For  information  call 
Christine  at  846-8481  or  e-mail  her  at 
CATyoga@gmail.com. 

Bird  &  Beckett 

Bird  &  Beckett  Books  &  Records, 
2788  Diamond  St.,  presents  free  com- 
munity literary  and  musical  events 
(donations  are  encouraged  to  help  the 
artists  and  keep  our  neighborhood 
bookstore  open).  Book  club  meetings 
and  jazz  sessions  are  listed  at  www.bird- 
beckett.com,  or  call  586-3733  for  more 
information. 

Coming  Events: 

Every  Friday,  5:30-8  pm:  Jazz  in 
the  Bookshop.  First  &  third  Fridays 
each  month:  The  Seabop  Ensemble, 
under  the  direction  of  bassist  Don 
Prell,  with  various  lineups  including 
Chuck  Peterson,  Jim  Grantham, 
Jerry  Logas,  saxes;  Al  Molina,  Frank 
Phipps,  horns;  Scott  Foster,  guitar; 
Chris  Bjorkbom.  drums.  Second  Fri- 
day: The  Jimmy  Ryan/Rick  Elmore 
Quartet  with  Scott  Foster,  guitar  & 
Bishu  Chatterjee,  bass.  Fourth  Fri- 
day: Henry  Irvin  Quartet  with  alto 
sax  player  Bishop  Norman  Williams, 
drummer  Jimmy  Ryan  and  vocalist 
Dorothy  Lefkovits.  Mar.  3 1  The  Rick 
Elmore  Jazz  Quartet 


First  Sunday,  4:30  pm:  Sunday 
Jazz:  Henry  Irvin  Quartet  with 
Dorothy  Lefkovits. 

First  and  third  Mondays,  7:30  pm: 
Open  mic  poetry  series  with  featured 
readers,  hosted  by  Jerry  Ferraz.  Scot- 
tish poet  Leonard  Irving  says  Bird  & 
Beckett  is  the  best  poetry  venue  in 
town! 

Second  Tuesday,  7:30  pm:  The 
Eminent  Authors  Birthday  Reading 
features  an  open  reading  from  the  works 
of  favorite  authors  whose  birthdays  fall 
during  the  month.  Bring  a  libation  and 
a  literary  bit  to  share  with  the  group. 

First  Wednesday,  7  pm:  Bird  & 
Beckett  Book  Club  discusses  a  book 
every  month.  Participants  choose  the 
next  month's  selection.  For  Apr.  5  the 
group  has  decided  to  read  Utopian  nov- 
els and  compare  notes.  E-mail  Marcy 
at  vacumkitty@aol.com  to  get  on  the 
e-mail  distribution  list  for  Book  Club 
notices.  She  has  links  for  you  to  learn 
more  about  the  book  selection,  and  will 
let  you  know  about  our  monthly  Politi- 
cal Book  Discussion  Group. 

Second  Thursday,  7:30  pm:  Politi- 
cal Book  Discussion  Group.  Call  the 
store  for  title  of  the  book  to  be  discussed, 
buy  it  for  10%  off. 

Mar.  20, 7:30  pm:  Group  reading  of 
Eliot  Weinberger's  What  I  Heard  About 
Iraq  to  protest  the  war.  On  the  third  anni- 
versary of  the  start  of  the  Iraq  war,  we 
join  the  Sixth  International  Literature 
Festival  Berlin  and  the  Fountain  The- 
atre of  Los  Angeles  in  a  simultaneous 
worldwide  reading  of  the  piece  origi- 
nally published  in  the  London  Review 
of  Books. 

Mar.  2 1 , 7:30  pm:  Kate  Bra verman 
and  Sharon  Doubiago  read  their  work, 
hosted  by  Diane  di  Prima.  Kate's  brand- 
new  book  is  Frantic  Transmissions  to 
and  from  Los  Angeles:  An  Accidental 
Memoir.  Sharon's  books  include  Hard 
Country  (poems)  and  The  Book  of  See- 
ing With  One's  Own  Eyes  (stories). 

Mar.  26, 2  pm:  Glen  Park's  Rafique 
Keshavjee,  a  native  of  South  Africa, 
reads  from  his  memoir-in-progress.  At 
4:30  pm  Walker  Brents  will  discuss  the 
Sufi  poets.